


Home (With Him)

by StarriiArii



Category: Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Blood, Boys Kissing, Crossover, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dancing, Established Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto, Established Relationship, Fighting, Fluff, Flying, Forbidden Love, Happy Ending, Hugs, Jade Academy (WOF), King Todoroki Enji | Endeavor, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, My Jade Academia AU, NightWing Midoriya, Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s), Prince Todoroki Shouto, Prologue Explains World, Prophet Midoriya Izuku, Self-Indulgent, SkyWing/IceWing Todoroki, Spoilers for WOF Arcs One and Two, Story Important OCs, Todoroki Enji | Endeavor's Bad Parenting, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-07 18:37:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19215211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarriiArii/pseuds/StarriiArii
Summary: Todoroki Shouto, Prince of the SkyWings, and Midoriya Izuku, a simple NightWing prophet, spend their last night together before Todoroki must leave Jade Academy for an arranged marriage back home.





	1. Prologue/Context (please read!)

**Author's Note:**

> I've worked on this entire thing for about three months... I'm not completely proud of it as a whole but I'm extremely proud of myself for finishing it! Thank you to @kiingkipper on Twitter for helping develop this AU. She's a really good friend of mine and we both love BNHA and WOF a lot. Thank you Lanie <3 Without further to do, please, enjoy the 46 pages of my self-indulgent dragon tddk fic -- Home (with him)!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prologue for Home (with him) for context reasons!

   _Home (with him)_ is set in the Wings of Fire universe with My Hero Academia/Boku no Hero Academia characters formatted into the universe. While in the current canon WoF universe, dragons don't have last names nor names like Shouto or Izuku, there has been a bit of tweaking so that the _**My Jade Academia AU/Crossover**_ can be as it is!

 

  In MJA, there are these things called  ** _Towns_** which were created and are run by four dragons (the Dragonets of Destiny from Arc One, minus Glory who has a kingdom to run). There's one near the desert, rain forest, marshes, sea, all respectively looked after by Sunny the SandWing, Starflight the NightWing, Clay the MudWing, and Tsunami the SeaWing. They've given up their roles as Jade Academy teachers and staff members due to growing older, and passed their jobs down to the next generation. In the time that HWH takes place in, the DoD are most likely very old or deceased. While they were living, they made a special set of rules/laws the their continent, Pyrrhia, agreed on. The following are the ones relevant to this story!

 

  The first one was made by Glory. After she found out that no one knew who her parents were, she created the "last name system" that, while took years to perfect, was inevitably worth it as now no dragon is without a known family (and some interesting names have come up since then). The next was by Clay, who made the concept of Towns, which were cities run by the Dragonets and were much like the idea of Jade Academy. The Towns were similar to the town of Possibility, where every sort of tribe and hybrid lived there in free harmony, overseen peacefully by Clay, Sunny, Starflight, and Tsunami. They have celebrations every full moon for being 'closer to another Brightest Night'.

 

  I hope that was enough of explanation for the story. If you have any questions, please ask! I'm always up for answering them :D

 

  Enjoy the read!

   


	2. Home (With Him)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've worked on this entire thing for about three months... I'm not completely proud of it as a whole but I'm extremely proud of myself for finishing it! Thank you to @kiingkipper on Twitter for helping develop this AU. She's a really good friend of mine and we both love BNHA and WOF a lot. Thank you Lanie <3 Without further to do, please, enjoy the 46 pages of my self-indulgent dragon tddk fic -- Home (with him)!

   

 Izuku shifted anxiously on his talons, wings cramped against his sides as to not knock over the scrolls stored in his personal shelf or make any noise at all. Who knew what time it was — most likely an ungodly hour, late in the night — but the dragonets in his winglet seemed to be at rest, deep in peaceful dreams or just floating in a pleasantly blank slumber. His gaze grazed each small den of his friends, wondering what they might be dreaming of.

 

 The Nightwing imagined Iida dreamed of his home and his family, perhaps leading others of his own kind into some grand mission like he’s always wanted, but more with the hopefulness to inspire rather than the uncaring aura some IceWing generals had. Izuku smiled. He believed in his friend to do well.

 

 For Tsuyu? Maybe she’s frog-watching on the shores of the sea, near the rainforest, with Uraraka, smiling and letting her sticky little frog friends hop along on her talons and arms. Uraraka probably dreamed of a similar situation, except with fruits or flowers rather than frogs. Izuku rolled his eyes fondly. _Those two pine like they’re the only things in the world that matters._

 

 Koda had gone to sleep ages ago. He was a quiet, shy little dragonet, odd for MudWings, but certainly lovely company. He was fascinated by so much, it was honestly adorable. He spent all his free time learning about animals and scavengers, even sometimes going out to look for them. Maybe he dreamed of living in a world where there was only his friends and his scavengers. That’d be a nice dream for him.

 

 Ojiro was a kind soul, keeping his tail curled self consciously as to avoid accidentally stabbing anyone. He often mooned over the RainWing in the Silver Winglet, Toru. He loved talking to her, impressing her, spending every moment he could by her side, the sweetheart. If there’s anything he’d dream of, it’d be her. Gliding and somersaulting in the air above the desert, wowing her with all his skills, that’d be it.

 

 Then there was Shouto. Shouto wasn’t dreaming then. His eyes were set on Izuku’s,—even in the pitch black, he could feel those eyes—staring from across the Winglet den, mismatch eyes looking deep into his green ones. He was waiting for Izuku to motion to him, with a ruffle of his wings, to _come on over, we can hang out_ . He stifled a happy trill at the thought… Shouto’s wings wrapping around him and holding him to his chest, his dual-temperature talons gently caressing his cheeks, his usually sharp eyes softening and becoming rounder just for him. _For him._ His heart raced.

 

 He felt sure everyone else was deeply asleep, as no one else had any reason to wake up. Izuku ruffled his wings like a bird, still wary of his library and the other dragonets, hoping Shouto could see, or at least hear, the racket he was causing.

 

 White and red scales shifted and flowed out of the den like a majestic cascading fall of crimson and light, only disturbed by the striking blue sapphire dangling from his neck. Shouto moved with the adroitness of a flower in the wind, soundless apart from his amulet shifting along its chain. Izuku choked on his swooning sigh when one of Shouto’s talons slipped on the steps down his cavern. Izuku flinched when his shoulder thudded into the wall to his left, absolutely bewildered. Shouto had lived at the school for months now, and he was an elegant prince. Princes don’t trip.

 

 The den closest to the impact exuded a groan, followed by rustling and a pink sleepy head, along with the sliding of Uraraka’s slim body, poke out of the leafy curtains. She looked around dizzily for a few heartbeats until she turned to Shouto.

 

 “Todoroki?” She squinted. “What are you doing up?”

 

 “I was…” He trailed off, talons nervously shuffling subtly over each other and — _wow_ , it was honestly adorable. Shouto’s eyes grazed past him for less than a second before he lifted his head, looking tall above Uraraka. “I was going to ask Midoriya something important.” Her snout wrinkled and her face turned confused.

 

 “In the middle of the night? Listen, I know he’s your best friend, but I think he’d prefer to sleep above all else right now. Maybe wait until the morning?”

 

 Shouto was becoming visibly agitated, but Izuku wasn’t sure if Uraraka noticed in her state of half-unconsciousness. His spiked tail was starting to lash impatiently and his eyes were narrowing.

 

 “It’s _important_ ,” he insisted. “I wanted to ask if…” Izuku wanted to face-talon himself as he watched Shouto visibly run out of ideas. He didn’t know what to say next and it came off as his sentence being open ended.

 

“But what could be so important—? Oh… _oh…_ ” Izuku ducked his head before she turned hers to look toward his room. He peeked up as she looked back to Shouto. “Good luck!” Her tail flicked excitedly and she patted his shoulder before climbing back into her den.

 

 Shouto sighed and crossed the remaining space between him and Izuku, clambering in sloppily. Izuku squealed in surprise, scrambling to avoid being squashed under Shouto as he tripped over his own talons.

 

 “What’s up with y- AH! No! Not the scrolls!” Shouto’s stumbling body nearly crashed into the organized shelf of rolled parchment, including the ones his mother wrote just for him. He wrapped his arms around the other’s midsection, hauling him up before he slipped any further. Izuku huffed and set the two down, falling on his back in exasperation.

 

 “What _was_ that?” he panted, looking up at Shouto as he turned to face him. His wings drooped and his eyes looked exhausted.

 

 “Sorry,” he mumbled. “It’s been a long day.” Izuku frowned and pulled himself up, looking at Shouto with round worried eyes.

 

 “Did something happen?” Shouto turned the other way and sighed.

 

 “My father sent me a message.” Izuku’s talons curled in anger. Any mention of that excuse for a father made him feel an indescribable rage and an unrelentingly protective urge towards Shouto. Long ago, he’d learned the backstory of Shouto’s scar and the SkyWing king’s deeds. He promised himself to never follow an order, even if it killed him.

 

 Shouto glanced over his shoulder and shook his head, amulet jingling. “I know that face.” His head sunk lower. “I hate him as much as you do, if not more, but I can’t… I can’t do anything about it right now.” Izuku gave him a stern look, taking a step closer.

 

 “Yes, you can!” His whisper was harsh but wild with love. “You can take the throne from him, rule the Sky Kingdom however you want — you’d be great!” Shouto bristled.

 

 “I never want to be a king,” he murmured. “I don’t want to continue what horrible kingdom Enji has started. I want it to go back to being ruled by kind and smart queens like all the other tribes.”

 

 “What about your brother or sister? One of them could take the throne.” Shouto only slacked more, ears flattening.

 

 “No. Enji would squish them like lizards. No one could stand up to him… but me.” Izuku draped a wing over his back, brushing the spikes lining his spine with his sparkling sails. Shouto leaned against his shoulder, letting his tail be entwined with the NightWing’s. The sadness radiating from the prince was almost staggering. Izuku craned his neck, voice soft as he breathed his question in Shouto’s ear.

 

 “What did his letter say?” Shouto’s frown deepened.

 

 “He says he found someone for me…” He avoided Izuku’s confused expression. “Someone who _fits_ his tastes.”

 

  _No._

 

“And I have no choice but to go home and meet her. Enji already has the details _arranged_.” The last word was spat like venom.

 

  _No, please, this can’t…_

 

“Izuku, I’m so sorry.” He finally met his eyes with dual colored ones that, at first seemed dull and cold, but eventually showed the despair and agony filling them to the brim.

 

 “I have to go home and get married.”

 

 Izuku’s heart broke.

 

 “But…” he started. “But what about _us_ ? What’s gonna happen to _us_?” Shouto’s posture was slumped over, his face twisted in sadness, perhaps even agony. He looked like a statue, forever stuck in misery.

 

 “We’ll never see each other again.” He gave a halfhearted shrug. “We’ll be done… forever.”

 

 Izuku snatched the other dragon’s talons, pushing down the choking feeling in his throat. Shouto stared with wide eyes, shock bolting through him as his claws were pressed up against Izuku’s chest. His lover’s heart was thundering.

 

 “No,” he sobbed. “No, we’re _not_ done. We _can’t_ be.” Shouto gave the dark talons in his a comforting squeeze despite his downcast appearance.

 

 “I don’t want us to be either.” Given how slowly he spoke, his voice shook and his wings trembled, Izuku guessed he was just as heartbroken. “But in the morning, we’ll have to pretend we never happened.” Shouto winced as Izuku’s claws dug into the back of his talons. The NightWing looked pained, like he was being torn apart.

 

 “Then we have to make tonight count,” he whispered. “A night that we’ll always have.” Shouto’s mouth quirked up for a moment, as if he wanted to smile at the idea, but it faltered within moments.

 

 “It’ll only hurt more,” he insisted. “Much more than it already will.”

 

 “I don’t care,” Izuku hissed. “I’m gonna be selfish… and I won’t care. I want tonight to be the best night I’ll ever have.” His eyes were shut tight and his jaw was clenched. But he slowly relaxed at the feeling of Shouto delicately touching at his palm. His eyes opened to the tender, understanding expression that was saved just for him.

 

 For him.

 

 All he wanted to do was melt into the dragon before him.

 

 “We’ll do whatever you want,” the prince promised. Izuku’s face fell.

 

 “You deserve a say.” Shouto chuckled sadly and instead led Izuku out of the cave, the halls, all the way out to the school landing. The evening was clear and looked endless. The stars above glittered coldly but brightly, complementing the two full moons. Wisps of cirrus and puffs of cumulus raced across the dark indigo expanse, following the whirling wind above head.

 

 “The world is ours,” Izuku whispered, catching Shouto’s eyes.

 

 Izuku took in a breath, puffing out his chest to fill it as much as he could. His wings spread and nudged Shouto’s, trying to lighten the mood. He smiled and Izuku felt nearly weightless.

 

 “Any ideas as to where to go?” Izuku asked, turning wholly to his companion. Shouto was a regal shape against the world, causing the NightWing’s heart to flutter. _How did I get with someone so gorgeous?_

 

 Shouto shook his head, flexing his claws and restlessly rolling his wings. “Nothing,” he breathed. “You?” Izuku looked to the moons.

 

 “Yup.”

 

———

 

 The sky was cool and uplifting underwing, easy to soar on and to talk in. Shouto’s tempo was restrained by Izuku’s less speedy NightWing wings as well as the fact that Shouto has no idea where they were going. His pace was instead lazy and lax on his wings and shoulders, though he still gripped his amulet’s gem in his talon. He was only an arm’s length away from Izuku, steering clear of his tail, wagging in the wind.

 

 “So where are we going?” he asked. Izuku’s head spun around to him with bright eyes, a bright smile, a bright happy face, which was almost the last thing he expected to see tonight amid the inevitable. He blinked as though the excitement radiating from his beloved was a light.

 

 “We’re going to a party!” Izuku called. Shouto’s head reared in confusion.

 

 “We didn’t get any invitations.” Izuku laughed and shook his head, circling around in the air until the two hovered, faced towards each other.

 

 “No, I mean a festival. See the moons?” Shouto’s eyes followed Izuku’s upward claw. “There’s two full ones. The Dragonets’ towns celebrate each full moon or moons. They say it’s closer to another brightest night, when the Dragonets hatched.” Shouto’s face scrunched, even more confused.

 

 “But…” he started, “that’s not how it works. The moons aren’t going to stay full and wait for the third one.” He looked back down to Izuku when he heard a chuckle.

 

 “We know. But it’s better to celebrate for a good, silly reason than to not celebrate at all.” He grabbed the other’s free talon and tugged, beaming. “Come on! They’re really fun!” Shouto nodded absentmindedly and they continued their flight northwest.

 

 Within moments, Shouto caught sight of twinkling golden lights, shining brighter than the moons. He could almost hear the music, the cheering, the laughter… and it caught him off guard. _King Enji would never let the SkyWings have a party as informal as this._

 

He remembered the dignified gatherings in the palace, dragons studded and dressed in rubies and opals and emeralds, all of them shining bright against the golden walls of the ballroom. Rather than the squeals of happiness or yelling over the thunderous bands, the aristocrats would stroll around elegantly, either talking of kingdom news and politics among each other or couples waltzing in slow circles to the orchestra hired to play quiet dance music. Shouto would often dance with the daughters of nobles or of his father’s “friends” and have to listen to their honestly atrocious attempts to make conversation or even flirt. None of them were interesting or real, only agreeing with everything he said in hopes to satisfy him. It was tiring. At times he’d retreat to the feast prepared by the chefs but he could barely understand what made it a feast. Everything was tiny, barely the size of his talon, and tasted cold and unsavory. He’d much rather eat hawk than whatever the chefs served then.

 

 Izuku’s wing brushed his, sparking a warm glow that brought him back into the present. He gave him a smile, one that asked if he was okay, and he nodded. They dove towards the sparkling town, shuddering when their feet touched down on the sandy ground. Shouto snorted with revulsion.

 

 “I’ve never liked sand,” he grumbled, hopping from talon to talon, shaking each in turn.

 

 “It looks funny though.” Izuku suppressed a laugh, earning a glare from Shouto. “Don’t worry about it right now, let’s go have fun!”

 

 The prince found himself being led by the talon again, only left with the choice to follow, squinting as the lights ahead grew even more brilliant. The arching gateway through the town walls was opened and covered in lanterns. A banner was hung overhead with big, bold letters spelling: _Welcome to Fair Shine’s Moon Festival!_ It was much more welcoming than two guards in front of large doors asking for your invitation. Shouto nearly tripped over himself when Izuku gave another pull.

 

 The streets were filled with round lanterns, the paper covers pale yellow and silver like moons, small glasses of fireflies strung like stars against the true night. Dragons were talking and singing and seemed genuinely happy, stuffing themselves with all types of delicious looking foods: rabbits, falcons, cows, huge fish, boars, animals Shouto didn’t even _know_ existed. There was also a fruit bar for the RainWing residences but Shouto preferred to stay in the carnivorous section.

 

 Music played everywhere. Singing dragons’ voices, strings, flutes, every turn had a new sound. Dragonets were running around, squealing with excitement, wearing capes made of silver and white wolf pelts. Everyone was glimmering with jewels of violet and blue and silver, more dazzling than any stuck up SkyWing grandee would ever wear. In that moment, with a thousand voices ringing in his ears, a million different lights shining before him, and countless decorations flooding his mind, he felt a sense of happiness and appreciation. _How long did it take to_ get _all this stuff?_

 

His wondering was disrupted when he felt a pain in his tail, wincing before pulling it off the ground, stumbling to the side of the street. It lashed as though that would soothe the pain. Both he and Izuku turned to see what had done it and were faced by a fumbling SkyWing with a crate at her feet, waving her talons apologetically. _A lot like Izuku,_ Shouto thought to himself.

 

 “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to step on — Oh — Oh my gosh,” she trailed off, staring with wide amber eyes. “You’re — you’re the SkyWing prince… aren’t you?” Shouto nodded slowly, a little unsettled by this dragon’s awe; most avoided him.

 

 “I suppose you could say that,” he replied. “My brother is a prince too.” That part didn’t seem to matter to her.

 

 “Oh my gosh, wow, it’s an honor, sir. Er, um… I’m Flare. Flare Penn.” She gave a sheepish smile. “What are you doing here? I thought you were sent to the school.”

 

 Izuku gave his sore tail a look while Shouto shot Flare a curious glance. “I thought this was a Towns event? How do you know of my whereabouts?”

 

 “Oh, I’m a Towns citizen! Though I have a few friends who keep me updated on the Sky Kingdom.” She smiled with more confidence.

 

 “But my news in particularly important?” Flare shuffled awkwardly and Shouto chuckled at Izuku’s suspicious glare. _Don’t get jealous._

 

“Even in the Towns, King Enji wants all SkyWings up to date on the royal family. My friends are just errand dragons who give more details than the Sky Kingdom scrolls.” She caught his gaze again. “You’ve seemed to create your own following, sir.” Shouto waved his talon diplomatically.

 

 “No ‘sir’ is required. Tonight, I’m one with the citizens, with…” He took another look at Izuku, who was already scurrying to his side.

 

 “Someone special,” Izuku said, much more boldly than Shouto expected. It was a welcomed change of pace, though he preferred his easily flustered NightWing.

 

 Flare gasped and immediately took Izuku’s talons into hers, shaking it wildly. Izuku squeaked. “Oh, so _you’re_ the dragon he’s marrying? Congratulations, NightWing! What’s it like being betrothed to a prince? What’s the King got in mind, setting his son up with a NightWing? Especially a… a dragon that can't have dragonets? No offense.” Izuku’s eyes widened.

 

 “I-I’m not — we’re — um…” Flare was starting to look bewildered as Izuku turned to Shouto with a face that asked for help.

 

 “King Enji didn’t set us up. We got together on our own accord,” he explained. “I’m unwillingly going to be wed and will most likely never see my friends in the Academy ever again. So I’m spending my last night with my _special someone_.” Izuku smiled at the last few words. Meanwhile, Flare frowned sadly, letting go of Izuku’s talons.

 

 “I’m sorry, for the both of you,” she murmured. Her face was starting to turn all types of yellows and golds in the light of the lanterns. “Make tonight good, okay?”

 

 “That’s the plan.” Shouto looked down at Izuku, who was burying himself under his warm wing. His heart ached sadly.

 

 “Well,” Flare started, “might as well make it the _best_ night ever.” She pried open the top of the crate at her feet and revealed its contents of necklaces and earrings and bracelets made with shimmering metals and gemstones. Izuku was staring as she dug through the box.

 

 “Usually you’re supposed to pay for these, but since this is your last night together…” Strung from her rising claws were an assortment of accessories. Shouto held his own treasure to his chest.

 

 “I’d feel bad if I didn’t pay,” Izuku whimpered. But Flare insisted, pulling them out of the way to dress them up.

 

 “You can keep them! Think of it as a souvenir for tonight,” she said sweetly. She approached Izuku with strings of moonstones, prompting him to lower his head. She hung it from his neck, then quickly reached for earrings of opal, clipping them to his ears. She looked at his bare wrists and shoveled through her storage. Shouto looked over her shoulder with curiosity, but she shoved him away.

 

 “Nope! It’s a surprise,” she giggled. He sighed and sat next to his Izuku, who was starting to glimmer a little too brightly.

 

 “How’s it feel, being dressed by a stranger?” Izuku shrugged.

 

 “Mostly nice, but a little weird. I feel bad not paying her.” He held the moonstone necklace in his talons, examining them closely.

 

 “At least you look beautiful,” Shouto said quietly, voice full of awe. Izuku squeaked and shied away, curling the necklace around his claw, a lopsided smile spreading.

 

 Flare returned to Izuku moments later, holding up two bands of steel with different gems embedded. She slipped them onto his wrists, pointing at the separate gems: pyrope garnet for the left and a blue zircon for the right. Izuku’s face was beaming with admiration. Flare looked proud.

 

 “To let everyone know who your other half is,” she said. She swiveled to Shouto with a thrilled expression. “Now you!”

 

 As she shuffled through her crate, Shouto looked at his amulet again. A pang struck his heart as he remembered how small he’d been, tiny talons reaching out happily to grab the gem his mother handed him.

 

 “With this, I place my hope in you to not forget me,” she had murmured.

 

 “Never!” he had promised. He never forgot.

 

 “No necklaces please,” he said quietly. Flare turned her head with raised brows.

 

 “No?” He shook his head, hoping she wouldn’t ask why. Thankfully she only shrugged and resumed her rummaging.

 

 Soon enough she was studying his build, surveying her chosen accessories, then went to placing. By the end, Shouto felt overdressed with his green treasures. Green sapphires lodged in wrist bands, beads of peridot strung on strings hanging from his horns, and emeralds hanging from his ears from golden clips.

 

 Shouto looked up his arms, flicked his ears, poked at the hanging pearls of peridots, as if trying to feel the look. Instead he opened his mouth, about to ask Izuku for his thoughts, but his staring said it all. He was looking at him like he was the true moon and stars pulled down to Pyrrhia, like the festival was barely a comparison to him. A certain heat rose in his face, one familiar to the feeling he felt near Izuku.

 

 Flare had a smug grin on her face as she secured the lid of her box back on, lifting it under her arm. “I’ll see you two around sometime soon, right?” Her voice was hopeful and Shouto couldn’t help but nod. She looked relieved and happy. With her free arm, she waved goodbye and disappeared into the crowded street of dragons.

 

 Shouto and Izuku finally had a moment to themselves.

 

 “By the _moons_ , you’re _gorgeous_ , Shou,” Izuku whispered, his voice barely audible among the countless others. Shouto could hear his NightWing’s heart swell in his short sentence. He held his talons in his again.

 

 “Sure, but let’s talk about you, dearest,” he said with a grin. Izuku whined and pressed Shouto’s talons to his face. His scales were warm.

 

 “Noooo!” he wailed. “ _You!_ You’re stunning.”

 

 “You’re right, you are.”

 

 “Gosh, I hate you.”

 

 “Mhm.”

 

 Izuku accepted his fate and leaned into Shouto’s chest with a sigh, the gesture slowly developing into a hug. Arms around each other, wings enclosing to two, shuffling closer until they were aligned.

 

 “We should go do something fun,” Izuku insisted.

 

 “Anything in mind?” Shouto hummed.

 

 “Dancing,” he said, “Dancing sounds wonderful.”

 

  “Then let’s go dance.” Izuku smiled and started towards the loudest band, wings brushing Shouto’s. The two could barely keep their eyes off each other, staring with fond, loving expressions. Dragonets scampered by, snickering, and uptight elitist adults looked at them with peculiar glances. Though neither cared; this was _their_ night, no one else’s.

 

 Izuku seemed to be guiding him in a specific direction, telling them to turn at one road or keep going down the one they were already walking.

 

 “Have you been here before?” Shouto asked. Izuku shook his head.

 

 “No, but I did live in a Town and I was told they’re all very similar. If this Town’s festivals are anything like the ones at home, then the plaza should be right around the corner.” Shouto purred and pressed his snout to Izuku’s head. The NightWing giggled and leaned closer to his side. The music was getting louder and louder as they approached the space, dragons hurrying to and from the center with food and jewels and friends or family. Shouto wished he could have lived somewhere like this with his mother, but he knew his father would find her in an instant and have her locked up for “betraying” him. He pushed those thoughts away and instead let his breath be taken by the scenery before him.

 

 The plaza was a huge space with a floor of smooth tiles arranged into a large pattern of a desert flower, seemingly millions of light strung above, making the countless dancing dragons below look like they were made of shimmering scales. A gazebo was placed in the middle which was decorated with lanterns and golden flowers such as marigolds and chrysanthemums. A band played from inside, strumming and singing, ringing louder than any other music in the city.

 

 Shouto was slightly muddled by the way the dragons danced. He’d only ever seen the graceful waltz of nobles and wealthy dragons, never the rambunctious moving these ones did. Talons and wings clapped, tails and feet stomped, voices roared and cheered, it was a drastic change in pace compared to what he was used to.

 

 Izuku, on the other talon, seemed to be absolutely ecstatic.

 

 “Let’s dance!” he cried, pulling him to the dance floor. Shouto was left with hanging on for the ride.

 

 Izuku chose a spot on the edge of the crowd, bouncing giddily and smiling widely. He held his talons in his own, shaking them — and by extension, himself — up and down. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen him so excited and so beautiful. His jewelry was swaying about as he hopped on his feet. Shouto couldn’t help but smile too.

 

 “You know how to dance, right?” Izuku asked. Shouto looked around at the other dancers, watching them spin and flap their wings.

 

 “I thought I did,” he mumbled before Izuku laughed.

 

 “It’s fine, I don’t know either.” Shouto shot him an incredulous glance.

 

 “I thought your Town had these festivals too.”

 

 “We did, I just never danced since I apparently have two left talons. But even if I could, I didn’t have anyone to dance with. Besides, I like it better when it’s just the food and music I’m paying attention to.”

 

 “Then why did you want to go dancing?”

 

 “I don’t know! I thought you would know how to dance!” The two laughed and sat farther away from the dancing, watching dragons go up and down and spin around and slide across the tiles…

 

 After what felt like hours, Izuku nodded thoughtfully. “Okay, I think I understand it.” Shouto hoped he did. _I feel like I’ve been staring all night but I can’t comprehend it at all._

 

 “So how do we dance?”

 

 “We just sort of…” He momentarily flailed his arms and wings, causing a small scene and a look of confusion from Shouto. Eventually he stopped but Shouto didn’t understand quite yet. Izuku seemed to guess that.

 

 “There’s not really a _way_ to do this dancing. It’s more so just doing whatever fits with the music. Clapping, spinning, jumping, it’s all just what they think will fit.” _Huh. That’s it?_

 

“So…” Izuku scraped his talons on the tile floor shyly. “Do you still wanna dance?” Shouto chuckled, pressing his nose to Izuku’s.

 

 “I do,” he murmured. Izuku gave his signature flustered squeak and led him to a space on the dance floor, awkwardly staring at each other until Izuku coughed, reaching for his partner’s talons, flinching when he was met halfway.

 

 “Okay,” Izuku breathed, ears twitching as he concentrated on the music. Shouto kept his wings tightly folded to his back as dragons cheered and swiveled around him. A vibration particularly strong under his feet, as well as his arms shaking, made him look down, met with the sight of Izuku switching on his feet, stomping to the current music’s beat. It was a funny sight, but he let him do… whatever he was doing. A momentous pause in the music made his humming clear.

 

 “Just um…” Izuku’s nervous muttering and flustered face was a sight on its own, what with its many jewels making the space around him glitter. “You put your foot there,” he said as he grazed the floor with a toe, “then you spin and…” A glance to the dancers. “You clap?” Shouto had a feeling he didn’t know how to explain it but was trying his best.

 

 “I’ll just follow your lead, Izuku.” The NightWing flinched and looked at him with wide eyes before nodding, starting to step in time with the music, Shouto easily catching on.

 

 By the third song they danced to, they were one with the crowd, cheering and smiling and lifting each other into the air. Among the shimmering scales and gems, all paled in comparison to Izuku’s smile, wide and radiating laughter as Shouto lifted him by his waist. His arms were as spread out as his wings and his eyes were as bright as the crystals strung from his neck. The rest of their lives would never come close to feeling as free as the night they’d shared.

 

 The moons rose and began to fall back towards the horizon, slowly but surely. Izuku grew tired, as did Shouto, and they became one of many couples returning home. They exited the town, still adorned with jewelry, stealing one last look at the Town over their shoulders before taking off into the air.

 

 “Owch!” Izuku yelped, accompanied with a thud. Shouto immediately turned and landed beside Izuku’s collapsed form. The prince felt panic rise in his chest and he nearly started babbling like his partner.

 

 “I’m fine,” Izuku assured him. “My wings just… really hurt.” Shouto sighed and relaxed, turning his attention to the dark, folded wings with newfound precision. His claws expertly ran across his wings’ joints and the shoulder blades they were placed near. He gingerly applied pressure, searching for perhaps any displacement of tension.

 

 Izuku winced when a specific prod to his wing’s joint. Shouto narrowed his eyes and hummed thoughtfully. His touch was gentle and careful, stroking with a feather-light caress. “You may have dislocated your wing when we danced. Or maybe you’re just sore.” He touched again, more searching than mindful. Izuku whimpered as he felt the appendage again. He quickly retracted and twined his tail with Izuku’s.

 

 “Just sore,” he told him. He pressed his nose to his ear and he returned to the wing. Izuku glanced at him as he pressed down on the muscles of his shoulder.

 

 “How do you know so much about wings?”

 

 “When I was younger,” the prince started, “I would get more easily tired of flying because of my being half IceWing. My father trained my endurance until I could fly with just as much strength and speed as a SkyWing. I would be very sore afterwards and I had to learn how to heal myself.” He felt Izuku’s tail curl tighter around his, and he could see his green eyes round with sympathy.

 

 “Oh, love…” he murmured. Shouto’s chest ached in a pleasant way, the way it would when Izuku called him such precious names. He craned his neck and pressed his nose to his cheek, throat rumbling.

 

 “It’s good to know how to help,” he said to amend. His talons were massaging at the tissues of his wing and shoulder, pressing down at particularly tense spots, relieving knots, smiling as purrs rose from him.

 

 Izuku sighed, tail flicking happily. Shouto pressed on for another moment or so before giving a pat to his lover’s talons.

 

 “We can't stay here long, the sun will be up soon.” Despite his words, he settled next to Izuku, spread wing coaxing him to move closer, which he gladly did. Shoulder to shoulder, Izuku buried his snout under Shouto’s chin, a content rumble still sounding from him. The world was still, quiet just for them. For the hundredth time that night, they simultaneously wished it’d stay like that forever.

 

 “Shou?” He hummed in acknowledgement. “Will you invite to your… um…”

 

 He craned his neck back to look at Izuku. “Are you sure? I don’t imagine it’ll be easy to watch.” Izuku tucked himself back under his chin, leaning into his neck.

 

 “Yes,” he assured. “I want to see you one more time before you really leave.” Shouto smiled sadly.

 

 “Don’t say that,” he chuckled. “You make it sound like I’m dead.”

 

 “I know.” Izuku shifted under Shouto’s enormous wing. “But I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again. I never saw you before you came to Jade Mountain.”

 

 “That’s because we weren’t friends before Jade Mountain.”

 

 “I _know_ ,” he repeated, sounding just a bit frustrated, maybe desperate, whimpering. “But please tell me you’ll have me there if you can.”

 

 A long pause stretched between reply and answer. Shouto knew he could invite him, each wedding in the Sky Kingdom had the wedded choose three dragons they’d especially like to invite, though family was automatically on the list. Would his mother be there then? Or would he have to use up a special invite for her? Would his father even allow him to invite dragons from different tribes? Perhaps he would, given that he was sent to Jade Academy, even though he’d sent him there just to “spy” on the tribes. He’d disobeyed that order the moment he landed on the mountain.

 

 Even if his father didn’t want him to, since when did he consider what the old tyrant wanted?

 

 “Yes,” he finally said. “I’ll have you at the wedding.”

 

 Izuku sighed, relaxing his shoulders. “Thank you.”

 

 A milky gray color began to blend with night’s indigo blue on the east horizon. Shouto folded his wing back to his side and stood, helping Izuku wake up after being half asleep. They flew back to the school, which loomed as a shadowy crag in the brightening sky. The air underwing had a shocking chill and rich soil smell, a wonderful sunrise if you asked Shouto. He bumped Izuku’s wing to stop him from falling asleep mid air. He held back a laugh with exhaustion and restraint.

 

 Shouto landed gracefully at the entrance while Izuku nearly tripped over his talons. Helping him quietly maneuver the halls, Shouto once more wrapped his wing around Izuku, guiding him to the black dragon’s sleeping cave.

 

 Once there, Izuku gladly curled in his nest, making grabby talons for Shouto with a whine. He chuckled and pressed his nose to his forehead, removing Izuku’s jewelry from the night’s party and setting it in shelves. He took off his own, aside from his mother’s amulet, then snuggled up to the exhausted NightWing.

 

 “Good night,” he whispered.

 

 “Good _morning_ ,” Izuku corrected. Shouto only smiled and quickly dozed off to get whatever sleep he could get in the short time before school.

 

 ———

 

 “Deku!”

 

 Izuku’s eyes cracked open, even though his entire face protested.

 

 “Deku, are you still asleep?”

 

 His mind was foggy and sight was disoriented. He didn’t imagine he got much sleep.

 

 “Since when does _Deku_ sleep in,” he heard Uraraka mumble before an unbearable light shone into his cave, making him shut his eyes tight.

 

 “Oh wow,” she breathed.

 

 “Whaaaaat,” Izuku groaned.

 

 “You and Todoroki, huh?” She stood smug at the entrance, claws holding back the curtain of leaves over the opening.

 

 “Hm? Yeah?” He was still mostly asleep but he still tried responding out of… maybe habit? Uraraka was impossible to ignore.

 

 “Things escalated quickly! I thought that he’d gone back to his nest last night but I guess not…”

 

 “What do you mean?” Izuku mumbled. “We’ve been together for some t—” He cut himself off as his groggy mind woke. He quickly lifted his head from his talons, struggling to stand, accidentally waking Shouto.

 

 “No! We’re not—!” Again, he stopped himself when he felt a tap on his talons.

 

 “Zuku,” Shouto said from Izuku’s nest, his words were louder than his voice. “ ’s fine.” His voice was slurred, tired, _cute_.

 

 “A-Ah um…” Izuku looked back to Uraraka, her mouth curled in a wide smile. “Okay so… we’ve been together for a few months. I guess Shou is fine with that being public now,” he mumbled, nervously poking at his claws. Uraraka just about screamed with laughter.

 

 “ _Shou!_ ” she repeated in a howl. “The nicknames, oh my gosh.” Izuku glared even as she breathed and calmed herself.

 

 “I’m sorry, I just can’t _believe_ I didn’t catch on,” she sighed, a few giggles sneaking in between her words. “Why tell me now?”

 

 Shouto groaned and crawled closer to Izuku, resting his head on his thigh, smiling after a few of Izuku’s (rapid) heartbeats. Izuku coughed and ignored his burning face. “It might have to do with the fact that he’s….” His heart cracked a little more as he spoke through the claws in his throat. “He’s leaving today. And I don’t think he’ll be coming back.”

 

 Uraraka’s teasing expression fell into a sympathetic one, crossing the distance to put a rippling blue wing around him. “I’m sorry.” He shook his head, a small smile spreading on his snout as he stroked the top of his lover’s head.

 

 “We spent all of last night dancing and singing…” he murmured. “We talked and kissed and it felt like we could do anything. We could have been free and not worry about then’s tomorrow. But we got tired and we had to come back.” Despite his smile, he felt sadness tugging at his heart. He let himself sink with the feeling, slouching only for a moment before forcing himself up. He patted Shouto’s head.

 

 “C’mon, I don't wanna spend the last day with your half asleep side,” he joked. Shouto snorted and lifted himself reluctantly, swaying and leaning on his NightWing, absentmindedly grabbing his amulet. Their tails instinctively twined, purrs and grins appearing next. Izuku nudged the dragon next to him.

 

 “You up yet? We still gotta eat breakfast before classes.” Shouto tried to shake his head but growled as he did the smallest movement. Izuku shot him a worried glance.

 

“ ’m fine,” he yawned. “Headache.” The black dragon cooed.

 

 “Poor Shou,” he trilled. The prince scowled, earning chuckles from his love. “Sorry, sorry. It’s not too bad, is it?” He shrugged but kept trudging along to the prey center.

 

 “It’ll go away soon. ’s just a headache I get after parties.”

 

 “You go to parties often?”

 

 “Enji holds them sometimes and they go all day and night. The next morning, my head hurts.” He shrugged again. “Not that big of a deal.”

 

 Izuku’s ears flattened, concern still trickling through his grogginess and relief. “Okay…”

 

 Most of the way to the prey center was spent helping Shouto there on his shoulder, though the last few dragon-lengths he’d spent gradually waking up, walking beside Izuku rather than leaning on him.

 

 The prey center was a bustling chaos as usual, different dragons running around chasing animals then a bunch crouched next to their meals, eating alone or talking through mouthfuls to friends. Off in a corner, Shinsou was being bombarded with Kaminari as he ate, who was probably telling an awful joke, but the SeaWing seemed perfectly content listening to him, even the smallest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Meanwhile their friends, Mina, Momo, and Jirou, were watched as if they were stifling laughs. Two IceWings (which Izuku quickly identified as Sero and Iida) we’re quietly eating by themselves, though that fit them perfectly. He smiled when he saw Ojiro chasing a large boar, quickly glancing back to the shy RainWing, Hagakure, to see if she was watching him. She absolutely was.

 

 “See anything you like?” Izuku asked, gesturing to the prey scampering around fearfully. Shouto looked around for a few seconds before glancing to Izuku.

 

 ...or staring at Izuku.

 

 “What?”

 

 “I like you.”

 

 “Er… I’m sorry, I’m not on the menu.” _Face! Stop heating up!_

 

 Shouto only purred, bowing his head and nuzzling his shoulder. Izuku sputtered, claws clenching as a more-than-comfortable-amount of eyes landed on them. He leapt into the shallow pit where the animals ran, leaving a staggering Shouto behind. He looked for the tastiest looking prey, simultaneously hoping to distract himself from all the dragons watching him. His eyes caught on a cow frantically stampeding away from the edges of the hole. Izuku quickly swiped at it, pinning it to end it as painlessly as possible.

 

 He dragged it out of the hole of prey to a sunny spot nearby. The sun warmed his back as he wolfed down on breakfast, giving his partner a look that asked him to join him. Of course, he did, floating over in a second. Shouto bunched up next to him, tail curled around him and wings folded.

 

 “Did I make you uncomfortable?” he asked quietly, guiltily shuffling his talons. Izuku quickly chewed up his mouthful, trying to answer as soon as possible.

 

 “No, no!” he assured, “It's just…” A sigh. “I’m not used to everyone knowing about us.” Shouto dipped his head politely.

 

 “Would you rather go back to us in secret?” he offered in a whisper. Izuku gave him an appreciative smile.

 

 “I don’t think we could even if we wanted to.” He gestured to the dragons glancing and murmuring about them, another tendril of anxiety winding through Izuku’s scales. An icy cloud wisping over his face hinted at Shouto’s nose pressed to his cheek.

 

 “Oi! Nerd!” The familiar voice of Bakugou had everyone’s heads turning to the SandWing. Next to him was the reddish MudWing that always clung to him, Kirishima.

 

 “Since when do you and half face kiss?” he roared. Kirishima nudged him with his wing with a partly embarrassed partly sympathetic expression.

 

 “Hey, it’s none of our business to ask,” he said softly. “Or, if we have to ask, maybe try something more polite. It wouldn’t kill you to be quiet, right, Katsuki?” Bakugou snorted.

 

 “I can ask however loudly I want. Everyone can see their sappy tails anyways,” he growled. He lunged across the pit until he loomed above the couple, Kirishima rushing after him.

 

 “Since when did _you_ two get together?” His scarlet eyes switched between the two of them. Meanwhile, Shouto’s tail tip flicked, aggravated, and Kirishima skid to a halt next to Bakugou.

 

 “Since when did _you_ become so invested?” Shouto shot back. Izuku bumped his shoulder with his wing with a gentle look in his green eyes.

 

 “Since our _mom_ has been _begging_ me to write about _Your Highness_ because she thought you and Deku had something,” he huffed. Izuku’s eyes fell to his talons, guilty. _Mom asked us to write to her every week and she_ specifically _wanted me to tell her about my friends. She started wondering why I stopped writing about Shouto._ He closed his eyes. _I didn’t know if he would be okay with me telling her._

 

“Ah,” Shouto said as he brushed a wing across Izuku’s spine. “Well, now you know and one of you can write to your mother about it.” Bakugou rolled his eyes.

 

 “He can do that himself; I’m not his messenger,” he scoffed.

 

 “Hey, this isn’t worth arguing. It’s kinda dumb, honestly, to get angry at them for publicly being together. Let’s just go eat, okay?” Kirishima suggested, using a claw to tap at the SandWing’s talon. Bakugou gave him a quick look, one that said, _“Did you just call_ my _argument stupid?!”_ but he didn’t fight, instead following Kirishima, grumbling.

 

 Izuku sighed, pressing his nose to Shouto’s neck. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. “I didn’t think he’d be like that.” Shouto returned his gesture, lowering his head to nuzzle Izuku, promising it was okay.

 

 After they finished eating, they grabbed their school things from their caves and began to make their way to their first class, History, with part of the Silver Winglet. They arrived before anyone else and before the first gong rang.

 

 There was a much older dragon arranging scrolls in the room, a SandWing with drooping wings but bright eyes. Izuku set down his things and looked curiously at the dragon, shooting Shouto a glance, who showed just as much confusion.

 

 “Excuse me, sir?” Izuku called, albeit a bit shyly. The SandWing turned with a smile, small rays of light catching onto his amber and gold earring.

 

 “I’m sorry if I sound rude, but where’s the History teacher?” More students were arriving, giving the new dragon odd looks too; none rude, just wondering.

 

 “Your regular teacher isn’t feeling very well and is taking the day off,” the SandWing explained. His voice was much bolder and lighter than Izuku expected, but it was a welcomed surprise. “For today, this class will have me to teach.” He paused as another gong sounded through the halls. He chuckled and shook his head. “Wasn’t sure if I’d ever hear _that_ again.”

 

 Izuku’s ears pricked. “Were you a student?” The dragon nodded.

 

 “It was the craziest time of my life. A war had just ended then all the tribes had to shove their dragonets into a school with the dragonets of their former enemies.” Class time had started by then, yet he still talked about his time at school. Though no one minded; this dragon had a certain charm to him. “But it just got _crazier_. I flew around the continent then back then all over again, like, a bajillion times, then I fought this nightmarish dragon and had the whole of Pyrrhia in a fashion trend that protected them—”

 

 “Wait, wait,” Izuku interrupted, “Sorry, you said you fought a nightmare dragon after a war?” Next to him, Shouto leaned closer, snout practically in his ear.

 

 “Are we supposed to know him?” he whispered. Izuku flared, hopping to his feet.

 

 “I can’t be the _only_ one who knows him?” he said, a bit loudly for the others to hear.

 

 “Sorry, Midoriya, don't think anyone else here knows as much about history as you do,” Tokoyami said from a few seats away.

 

 “Of course we do!” cried a SandWing sitting opposite of the Jade Winglet group. Izuku recognized him as Monoma. “Do you _really_ know, Jade Dragon?” Next to him, the IceWing, Shoji, put a talon on his shoulder, silently willing him to calm down.

 

 “It’s Qibli, don’t you guys remember?” The class murmured and whispered, and Qibli looked just the slightest bit offended.

 

 “Oh, I was _sure_ I’d be famous in the school. What was the point of teaching here today if I wasn’t _swarmed_ by fans?” He sighed dramatically and put the back of his talon over his face. The class chuckled.

 

 “Who was he again?” Uraraka asked from his left.

 

 “I just told you,” Qibli complained humorously. It was odd to interact with a dragon much _much_ older than all of them that knows how to make everyone laugh, but it was a very nice oddity.

 

 “He was one of the dragons who fought off Darkstalker when he returned, remember?” The eleven dragonets went into an uproar of “ _oooohh_ ”, though a few felt halfhearted, some still not quite recognizing him.

 

 “Alright, enough about my wonderful self,” Qibli said as he looked through the scroll the teacher had presumably left for him as a guide. “What are you all supposed to be doing today….”

 

 The class continued on as it normally did, though much more enjoyable with Qibli’s jokes and way of teaching.

 

 “Oh, you’re reviewing the War of SandWing Succession? Well, that started when Queen Oasis got stuck by the pointy end of a scavenger's claw. Then her daughter, Blister, was like, “ _I_ should be queen, _I’m_ the smartest.” But her sister, Burn, disagreed. “Oh no, not _you_ , you palm frond, _I’ll_ be the queen, I’m bigger and stronger and older than the two of you combined!” Then little ol’ Blaze was like, “No one will like you two! Neither of you are as pretty or as kind as me!” Obviously, we can tell who won, which is none of them! Unless you’d like to count Blaze, who isn’t even really royalty anymore. _Unless_ , you count being in the Court of Loving Myself, which Blaze would certainly be the head of.” The class smiled and giggled.

 

 Midway through the review, while Qibli was joking about the Eye of Onyx absolutely _despising_ Blister and Burn, a shiver passed through Izuku, shaking him from his talons to his horns. He felt Shouto lean against him, just barely putting a wing over him, before he slipped into the vision.

 

 He was still in the classroom when the cave’s opening was bombarded by SkyWing guards, lining to make an entrance for one big SkyWing, the color of fire, odd blue eyes, and a scar burning the left side of his face. Izuku remembered this dragon from the first day of school, when they came from the sky with Shouto among them.

 

 In just a few moments, Shouto would be taken back home.

 

 His vision slowly faded, and his senses seeped back in, making him conscious of all the eyes staring at him.

 

 “Yikes, er…. Midoriya, right? Do you get visions?” Qibli looked at him with concern, eyes flickering to the teardrop scales by his eyes. Izuku nodded, rubbing his eyes, but insisting the lesson be continued.

 

 “Shouto,” Izuku whispered. “Your father will be here soon.” The prince sighed and pulled him closer by his wing, pressing his mouth to his ear.

 

 “How soon?”

 

 “I don’t know,” his voice cracked. Shouto’s wing retracted and folded, though under the desks, he felt the brush of claws on his own, warm.

 

 Within moments, trampling could be heard in the tunnels, turning each dragon’s head towards the noise, worried chatter growing as red dragons came into view. It was just as the vision had dictated; they lined the hall, spears pointed upwards, all faces emotionless, as the king strode through the middle, until he stood tall in the entryway.

 

 “Shouto,” his voice boomed. “It’s time to come home.”

 

 “Sir,” Qibli spoke up. “we’re in the middle of class.” King Enji glared at the old SandWing.

 

 “He can continue classes at home,” he growled. He turned back to his son, stepping closer. Shouto sat with his usual deadpan.

 

 “I’ll need to pack my things,” he said. Izuku felt the warm talons in his slide away, but was amended with Shouto’s eyes on him. “Midoriya, will you help me?” In the corner of his eye, Izuku saw the line of Qibli’s mouth twitch, as if he wanted to argue more, but he didn’t say anything. The NightWing nodded, unaware of all the eyes staring, only looking in Shouto’s mismatch ones. King Enji’s jaw set angrily, but he stepped away from the cave entrance, letting the dragonets pass.

 

 The halls felt cramped as the troop and the _huge_ king followed them to the sleeping caves, until Shouto and Izuku went behind the leafy curtain. The prince glared behind him as he sat with a sigh. Meanwhile, Izuku choked out his tears as quietly as he could, though not quiet enough for Shouto to not notice.

 

 He immediately rushed to Izuku’s side, wings wrapping around him wholeheartedly in the safe privacy of his cave.

 

 “Izuku?” he whispered. In return, the other only sniffled and sputtered.

 

 “I-I’m—y-you’re lea-eaving—wha-at do I—?” Izuku’s talons were hovering near his face, catching all his tears and ready to muffle the loudest sobs. Shouto hushed him, pulling him to his chest, running his claws along the ridges of his scales.

 

 “Izuku,” he said in a soft voice. “Izuku, love, this isn’t the last time we’ll see each other.” Izuku didn’t miss the way he doubted his own words. “Besides, I can still write to you, maybe visit the school…”

 

 Izuku buried his head in his neck. “We don’t know that,” his voice cracked. Shouto’s claws broke rhythm for a moment, as if the thought had never occurred and was now hitting his in the face. He lowered his head, brushing his cheek against his lover’s.

 

 “I’m sorry, Izuku,” he murmured. He then reluctantly pulled himself away, talons lingering on Izuku, before gathering his things to pack. Izuku recomposed himself and got to helping him, asking him for what he should or should not pack.

 

 Near the end of it, he realized he didn’t have the jewelry given to them last night. He felt a heavy sadness before remembering they’d left them in his cave.

 

 “I’ll be right back,” he said, nudging his large wings before hopping through the curtain.

 

 He ignored the sharp eyes of the SkyWings, especially the icy pair watching his every movement. He quickly slunk into his cave, grabbing the green gemmed accessories, then trot back to Shouto’s cave.

 

 Though as he stood in the middle of the winglet cave clearing, the voice of King Enji rumbled.

 

 “My son doesn’t own any sort of green jewels,” he said with a glare. Izuku froze, talons shaking as he tried to meet the huge dragon’s eyes. His mouth opened and closed wordlessly as he tried to think of a response.

 

 “I— they’re uh…” he stammered. King Enji’s eyes grew colder and colder as Izuku continued to stutter. Luckily, Shouto jumped in to save him.

 

 “They’re just small things I found in my spare time,” he said. “I’m keeping them as a reminder of the school. Thank you for fetching them, Midoriya.” He grabbed the gems from Izuku, quickly glancing into his eyes with his own soft ones, before hurrying back into his cave, his NightWing close behind.

 

 Most of the packing was done by then, leaving only the getting-things-outside part left. Izuku pretended to help, walking side by side with Shouto as they supported his luggage on their backs, savoring the way their wings and scales moved against each other. For once, Izuku hated the sight of a sunny day outside the school. The entrance looked up ahead, until they stood at the landing ledge of the school, exposed to the cool breeze and troop of SkyWings awaiting up in the endless blue.

 

 A bulky SkyWing soldier took the prince’s belongings and returned to his formation, nodding to King Enji as the king flew closer, who had a talon outstretched.

 

 “Come, Shouto,” he ordered. Izuku’s head lowered for a split second, before it shot back up, hoping the king didn’t notice. _If he thinks we’re close, Shou might get in trouble._

 

 Though the other dragonet seemed to have little regard for that worry. He edged closer to Izuku, offering a sad, sympathetic look.

 

 “Izuku,” he whispered. “I promise I’ll see you again.” Their tails spun together just for a heartbeat, the shortest heartbeat in Izuku’s life, until he watched crimson and white scales slowly ascend to the mass of beating red and orange in the sky. Then, with a final glance to the black dragon, he flew into the distance, into the clouds, with his tribe…

 

 ...and Izuku wept.

 

 ———

 

 Shouto has never been fond of the palace he lived in. He used to live with his mother when he was young, near the border of IceWings and SkyWings, and he was perfectly content there. Then his father had taken him “home” and had separated him from Rei, instead taking him to where his other siblings were.

 

 When he’d been told he was going to Jade Academy, he’d not thought much of it. He’d be leaving the castle, which would be nice. It was the only reason he’d cooperated more than usual. He hadn’t expected to find the love of his life there, but life was like that to him. Found a thing you love? Time to crush it and pound it into dust. Or abandon it. Each time it left him saddened, longing for his mother to hug him, tell him it’d work out, tell him it’d all be okay.

 

 He wanted that more than anything when he left his Izuku back at the school.

 

 The only thing he’d be happy to see would be his siblings. He could tell them anything and everything and they’d understand. The thought brought him comfort even as he clenched his talons at the sight of the palace in the distance.

 

 The landing to the throne room was hot with the sun and the rest of the room was almost blindingly bright. In the center was the throne, spiked and sharp, pointing upwards in a menacing, empowering way. A few dragons littered the room, mostly the advisors and counsel members, some personal servants, a few dragons he didn’t recognize, and his siblings.

 

 Immediately, Shouto gravitated towards his siblings, wanting them to scoop him up in a big hug and tell him he could go back to the academy. Instead, his father steered him towards a different dragon, one he didn’t know. Her scales were a bright orange, like sunlit copper, and her eyes were golden amber, half lidded behind the lenses of glasses.

 

 “This is Spessartine,” King Enji’s voice boomed. A sinking feeling settled into Shouto’s gut as he realized who this must be. It sank in further as the king added, “Your betrothed.”

 

 A dragon behind Spessartine, Shouto assumed her mother, elbowed her in the side, as if prompting her to greet him. She approached, wearing an uninterested expression.

 

 “Prince Shouto,” she said with an air of formality, “it is an honor to be yours.” She bowed, sweeping her wings out. Shouto felt an uncomfortable feeling prick at his scales. _I don't own anyone._

 

 Rather than saying all that in front of his father, he simply dipped his head and said, “And it is a pleasure to be arranged with you.” He gave his father an icy cold glare at the end. The king didn’t see it.

 

 Soon after the brief exchange, dragons fanned out and Shouto followed the pull towards his other hybrid siblings. Fuyumi and Natsuo looked much more IceWing than he did, with most of their scales being a pure white like their mother’s. His big brother’s scales were shimmering and his IceWing spikes were more obvious than Shouto’s own or his sister’s. Fuyumi had odd dapples of red in her white scales, making her look part koi fish. But, if you asked anyone, it certainly made her a pretty sight. She worked as a teacher in a private SkyWing school while their brother was finishing up his own education. If Rei and Izuku didn’t exist, he could surely say he loved them more than anything.

 

 As he took his eager steps towards his family, they turned to him with big smiles and bright eyes, gray and turquoise shining from his brother and sister. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his family hugged him, wings and all.

 

 “Welcome home, Shouto,” Fuyumi said quietly.

 

 “Hello, Fuyumi,” he greeted.

 

 “You’re getting married!” Natsuo said, taking a jumping step back. “I don’t know if I’m happy for you or if I feel bad.” The air had suddenly turned quite somber.

 

 “I suppose either,” Shouto said with a shrug. “I’m getting married, just… not with the one I want.”

 

 Natsuo’s wings twitched. “The one you want?” he echoed. Shouto looked down at his talons, ignoring the way his ears burned. In his peripherals, he saw his brother and sister exchange a glance.

 

 “I can talk about that later,” he mumbled. “Just not here.”

 

 “I think your fiancée will understand you,” his brother said, pointing a claw at the bright orange dragon. Shouto saw her tagging behind her mother and father, side by side with another dragon, her scales a cloudy yellow with the smallest streaks of blue appearing here and there on her tail before disappearing (part RainWing?), their tails curled around each other. Shouto gave a heavy sigh. He wished she didn’t understand. The feeling was not a good one.

 

 He turned away and started for his palace room before the voice of his personal “assistant” called from behind, high pitched and squeaky. Natsuo and Fuyumi parted for them. Kindle’s small red-orange form tottered towards him, scroll in talon, eyes wide.

 

 “S-Sir— er, uh… P- _Prince_ Shouto, I mean,” they corrected themself, “King Enji w-wants you t-t-to head to th-the Counsel H-Hall, please.” Shouto turned slowly and followed the little dragon to the Hall.

 

 The Counsel Hall was two things: where his father went if he ever needed a selfish boost by announcing his ideas to a bunch of dragons that were made _rich_ by agreeing with him, or it was where he gave some staff more work by assigning them a job to work alongside their usual one. Today, it was the latter.

 

 A couple of dragons, no more than twenty, were seated around a circular table, all their heads turning towards the large doors to the room as they opened for the prince. All bowed, except for his father, as he sat at the spot opposite of his father’s. He was an angry silhouette in front of the Hall’s fireplace, which held a raging fire in its bars

 

 “Your Majesty,” they droned in unison. Shouto only grunted, uninterested. As they retained posture, they looked to the king.

 

 “As you know, my son is to be wed soon,” he started, pausing for the murmurs of congratulations. “And I would like my best dragons to work on the arrangements. They should be done in at least three days.”

 

 There was uneasy chatter among the older dragons, Enji’s icy gaze raking over each one of them, as if his order _wasn’t_ insane. An _entire_ wedding? In _three_ days? Finally, an anxious looking crimson dragon stood up.

 

 “I can have the venue decorated _and_ ready within three days!” he shouted boldly. “I just need to know where… and the dragons with me.” Enji gave a confident smile.

 

 “I’ll supply you with anything and everything you need to make this the greatest wedding of the century,” he promised. Louder, he added, “That goes for everyone! All things will be paid for by myself, including what I have to pay you for your services!”

 

 His counsel grew more rambunctious as they raised their voices to claim jobs. Eventually, Shouto stood up, scowling.

 

 “Why should this be such a huge wedding?” he asked, shouting. “It’s not like we’re _uniting kingdoms,_ we’re only hitching two dragons for… what reason exactly?” King Enji’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

 

 “Because you’re _clearly_ too much of a coward to challenge me and take the throne for yourself, despite my best efforts,” the king snarled. “But maybe whatever grandchild you and this other dragon spawn will have qualities fit for a king, such as the _bravery_ to take me on.”

 

 “Your _best efforts_ ,” Shouto scoffed under his breath. The meeting continued, only a small bit less rowdy, until all jobs were assigned, lists of expectations were passed out, and Shouto was positively worn bored. His assistant wasn’t doing much good being his only chance of entertainment. They just wrote and wrote and — oh, hmm they lifted their head— nope. Nope, just more writing. He could guess it was all the times King Enji had said his son would have to meet this dragon, that dragon, whatever. Shouto supposed he could be grateful for this little stuttering dragon his father had “given” to him. They did a good job keeping him on track and even being a sort of emotional support at times, even if they both knew they were only there in hopes that Shouto would learn how to boss a dragon around.

 

 Dragons poured out of the Hall doors, all except for Shouto, his father, and Kindle.

 

 “Kindle,” King Enji growled. Their head poked up from their scroll. “Give me the schedule.”

 

 Immediately, they scampered to his towering seat, stretching to reach his open talon until he snatched the scroll quickly. His eyes scanned over it, his expression bored with a hint of anger, as usual. He grunted as he gave the parchment back to his subject.

 

 “Good,” he snorted. His eyes shot to his son. “Keep him on schedule. Make sure he’s not late to _anything_.” He paused before adding, pointing at the scroll, “And send a copy to Spessartine’s family. I want the two to make choices together.” Shouto’s claws curled in anger. He didn’t want to spend time with a dragon he was being forced into a marriage with. As if Enji sensed the waves of rage, he glared back, eyes flickering to the gem hanging from his neck.

 

 “Get him to leave the necklace too,” he said before stomping out. Half of Shouto begged Kindle from his mind to disobey just this once, to let him keep it…

 

 But, of course, Kindle shook their head vigorously. “Y-yes sir! I-I mean your M-Majesty,” they stammered. They gave a deep bow before retreating to the doors, and Shouto got the feeling that it was time to go. He followed Kindle without a word or sideways glance to his father.

 

 “Can I go to my room now?” Shouto sighed. Kindle faced him with a shaky smile.

 

 “Y-Yes, you can, Prince Shouto,” they nodded. The two maneuvered the halls silently, aside from Kindle humming to themself and the click of talons on the marble floor. The tall windows and pillars lined the halls, casting long shadows and lighting the patterns of stone in gold. Despite the relative quiet, Shouto’s mind was a whirl of thoughts and tiny trickling anxieties.

 

 How could a wedding be done in three days? Would he still get the time to write his special invites? Would the dragons he invite still have _time_ to arrive? With all the things he had to do in those three days, choosing and picking all sorts of things for decor and such, would he ever have the time to _sleep_ or _eat_? How many dragons would actually be there?

 

 He shook his head, a small smile splitting through his worries as he thought of how Izuku would stress like this, probably even worse. Then he felt a pang of longing for the shy little smile he often wore, his bright emerald eyes, his pretty wing sails and teardrop scales…. Shouto’s talons closed, part of him expecting to be stopped by Izuku’s talons in his. Instead there was only his scales. He stopped to look at his palms, torn. In just a few days, Spessartine’s talons would be in his, not Izuku’s. _Never again Izuku’s._

 

 “P-Prince Shouto?” Kindle said from ahead. “Are y-you ok-kay?”

 

 He started again, catching up to them with his head low. “Have you ever loved someone, Kindle?” He was amused by the way they tripped for a moment, shocked.

 

 “O-oh,” they stammered. “I, um, g-guess so? I have a friend in the T-T-Towns, Sunny’s, I talk to s-sometimes. Sh-she’s really nice. She works w-with jewelry a-a-and writes to m-me.” Shouto’s head lifted.

 

 “Flare?” They squealed.

 

 “Y-Yes! Flare Penn!” Shouto let himself chuckle.

 

 “I met her last night,” he said. “I think she meant _you_ when she said she had friends keeping her up to date with castle business, huh?” Kindle’s eyes shone.

 

 “She t-talked about m-me?” they whispered. Shouto nodded.

 

 “Indirectly, but yes.”

 

 “It’s nice t-to know she sti-ill thinks o-of me,” they hummed before shaking their head. “I’m s-sorry, but… w-why are you asking me th-this?”

 

 Shouto avoided eye contact. “No reason,” he mumbled.

 

 As they approached the doors of Shouto’s room, he flicked his tail towards a different hall.

 

 “That’ll be all for today,” he said. “I won’t be doing much else. Go ahead and get something to eat.” They scraped their feet along the floor, looking down as they did so.

 

 “K-King Enji told m-m-me to get these copied…” Kindle mumbled. Shouto shrugged.

 

 “I’ll copy them for you. Go relax. Doesn’t your back hurt from standing like that all day?”

 

 “I gue-ess… Okay. I trust y-you.” They gave him their scroll and, for once, lowered to all four legs. They stretched their thin legs, Shouto’s eyes widening as he heard _multiple_ cracks.

 

 “That f-feels much better,” they sighed before squeaking, “I-I mean u-um! Dinner! R-Right!” and flying off in a flash. Shouto turned back to his room and entered, a mixed feeling washing over him.

 

 His room was nice, for sure. Floor tiled into artwork of patterns like fire, sloping ceiling seeming to be help up with tall pillars, floor to ceiling windows and curtains of red velvet, plenty of accessories for parties his father threw, a smoothed and polished wooden desk, and a comfortable pile of pillows and blankets he could sleep in. Not to mention, he had his own additions to the room. Drawings of snowflakes he’d drawn and cut from paper himself were strung from the roof, little blue gems were stuck between the imperfect fits of the tiles, and he blew a cloud of frost over his windows whenever he could. He wouldn’t let the kingdom dictate what power he had to use.

 

 He set the scroll on his desk, deciphering Kindle’s quick handwriting with mostly ease, using context to translate the odder letters. Part of him wanted to copy the scroll wrong, removing the “spending time with the other” part and just doing everything himself. But part of him also wanted help and didn’t want to get Kindle in trouble. So, he sighed, and grabbed a new sheet of paper. Dipping his pen into its inkwell and tapping it along the rim, he carefully recreated Kindle’s schedule.

  
  


 The next few days were, to simplify the feelings, _stressful._ Not only did his father _demand_ he abandon his amulet, Spessartine was next to Shouto the entire time, with Citrine tagging along. She looked like she was trying to burn him alive with her eyes when Spessartine wasn’t looking. It was uncomfortable, but Spessartine seemed to have noticed, asking her partner to wait as they did decisions and such. And while Citrine was out of earshot, Shouto learned more and more about her. She was Spessartine’s special someone, a hot-headed, ironically aggressive peace advocate. She’s not always like that, according to Spessartine.

 

 “She can be really sweet too,” she’d hummed. “Soft, and mellow, and so, so sweet.” Shouto guessed he’d never see that side of Citrine as long as he was marrying her girlfriend.

 

 The current task was to find their dressings, to choose among the variety of silks and gems and ribbons. As dragons put different things against their scales and talons, Citrine still glared daggers into Shouto. When Spessartine turned to talk to her, she frowned at her obvious disdain for the prince.

 

 “Citrine, could you wait outside please?” she said kindly. Citrine’s wings drooped, but she didn’t protest, dragging herself out the parlor doors. The golden orange dragon shook her head.

 

 “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “She doesn’t really like you.”

 

 “I didn’t notice,” he huffed. Her eyes lit with a spark of irritation behind her glasses.

 

 “You understand why, right? She thinks you’re trying to steal me from you. She can’t help but be a little hotheaded. It’s just how she is.” Shouto looked down at the floor. He could still feel her stern eyes on him.

 

“I understand,” he insisted. _I imagine Izuku would feel the same way._

 

She sighed. “She and I were supposed to get married,” she confessed. “Not us. We were gonna do all this planning stuff together over the course of months then have a nice wedding with all our friends and her family. We were engaged when you came home.” Shouto couldn’t help the trickle of guilt in his mind.

 

 “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. He saw her flinch, then smiled, just barely.

 

 “It’s funny,” she chuckled. “She jokes about being queen so she can ban this marriage and marry me herself, but then she waves it off, even if it’s a joke. She thinks she’d be too emotional to be a queen… but I think she’d be a wonderful ruler.” Shouto hummed as his mind slowly conjured a thought or two in his head — perhaps a plan.

 

 “Prince Sh-Shouto!” Kindle’s stammering voice said. He turned to the little dragon and their scroll clutched tightly. “I thought w-we could save time b-by deciding the Special I-Invites now a-as the designers l-look for more th-things!” Shouto’s breath caught in his throat. The invites.

 

 “I’ll be bringing Citrine!” Spessartine said next to him. Both SkyWings gave him an expectant look.

 

 “I’ll bring a NightWing from the Academy…” he began. “And…”

 

———

 

 “This is just depressing,” Izuku heard Uraraka say from outside his cave.

 

 “What seems to be the problem?” came Bakugou’s voice. “He’s being a sad little smoke-breather, just like always — HEY!”

 

 “Are you saying you wouldn’t mope around if _I_ was taken away to get married and never see you again?” Kirishima scolded him.

 

 “ _Yes!_ I wouldn’t just lie in my cave all day, only getting up to eat and moan about how sad I am. I’d go save you and call the dragons responsible a bunch of sandsnorters.”

 

 “That’s very sweet, but storming into a _palace_ full of SkyWings, as well as the home to the _biggest dragon ever_ , is a horrible idea.”

 

 “You didn’t have to step on my tail to make the point,” Bakugou snorted.

 

 “ _Okay!_ Okay, we get it, you two love each other very much, let’s focus at the task at our talons right now.” Pinkish claws pulled the leafy curtain of Izuku’s cave away, Uraraka offering a kind expression while his brother and Kirishima stood farther away outside.

 

 “Hey,” she said gently. “You okay?”

 

 “I miss him,” he whimpered hoarsely. Uraraka frowned and approached her friend slowly, flashes of dark green and blue-gray splitting her usually pink and reddish-brown scales. She sat beside him, draping a wing over his back.

 

 “I know you do,” she sighed, patting his shoulder with a talon. He sniffled and curled into a tighter ball, burying his face into his arms. Uraraka’s presence left his side and he felt even lonelier until she returned.

 

 “You were sent a letter,” she said with a note of hope, “from the Sky Kingdom.”

 

 He lifted his head and looked at the neatly folded parchment she offered him. Carefully pulling at its sealed edges, his hopes were confirmed.

 

  _Dear Izuku Midoriya of the NightWings,_

 

_We at the Sky Kingdom invite you to the wedding of Shouto Todoroki and Spessartine Mae, which will be held at Enji’s Palace within three days of this note being sent. The accessories we prefer you wear may consist of jewels of reds or oranges, the only exception being moonstones. We hope to see you there._

 

It wasn’t _exactly_ what he’d hoped for… until he unfolded the last section. It was written in a less neat calligraphy, more rushed and spiked. Still, identifiable as Shouto’s writing, in his favorite dark blue ink:

 

  _A personal note from Shouto Todoroki:_

 

_Izuku, my love. I hope with all my heart you can attend and I can see you again. Even if it’s the last time I do, I beg of you to come. I don’t know if I'll have time to be alone with you, but even seeing you there would mean the world to me. I love you, and I hope to see you in three days._

 

 Izuku’s day changed for the better. He smiled at the bottom half and held it close to him.

 

 “Was it a good note?” Uraraka asked, looking at the paper with curiosity. Izuku nodded.

 

 “I need to go though,” he said, beginning to grab his things. Uraraka gave him a confused look.

 

 “Go? Go where?”

 

 “To the Sky Kingdom!” He shoved his pyrope garnet band and moonstone necklace into his bag as well as snacks for at least the first day of the fly there. Uraraka, in the background, was bustling.

 

 “The Sky Kingdom? But that’s so far!” Izuku marched out of his cave, ignoring his shouting brother, out to the school landing.

 

 “It doesn’t get any closer if I stay here,” he said as he leapt into the air. “I have to be there for Shouto!”

  
  


 The flight to the Sky Kingdom was certainly was not an easy one. Over forests and lakes and mountains he flew, only stopping to rest his wings and catch something to eat, like deer or cougars. He’d gotten the idea to tear off the bottom half of his invite too, to keep with him, and in case the invite was needed to get into the party (finding out the Prince was having a secret affair the day of his wedding would make things much worse). The day he saw the palace over the next rise was an infinite relief. His talons touched down on the landing, wings aching, and was immediately met with a guard.

 

 “Hey!” he barked. “You need to show your invitation before you just come strolling in.”

 

 “Oh!” Izuku squeaked. “R-Right! Here, it’s here.” He pulled the slip of parchment out of his bag and handed it to the guard.

 

 “Izuku Midoriya,” he muttered, glancing up from the paper. He grunted and handed it back. “You may continue.”

 

 Izuku dipped his head. “Thank you!” he said before hurrying into the castle. Behind him, he heard the guard shout, “Go to the courtyard!” At first, Izuku was muddled. He’d never been to the Sky Kingdom and it’d be rude to fly there; how could he find it in the _biggest castle in all of the entire world —_ oh, they put up signs. Each one was a golden arrow with three little symbols: an orange flame, a white snowflake, and a glimmering spessartite gem. He followed each arrow until he came across a foyer, filled with dragons, that led to outside, where Izuku get glimpses of flowers and cushions for dragons to sit on. The line of dragons was mostly SkyWings, only starkly contrasting the polished material around them with their dark copper bands and such, but there was an outlier among them: an IceWing. Izuku’s breath caught in his throat. Did Shouto invite his mother?

 

 The line went along quickly, as did Izuku’s realization that Shouto himself was at the end of it. He took deep breaths before the sting in his eyes became too obvious and to calm his racing heart. A week wasn’t the longest time he’d been away from Shouto — they didn’t know each other until seven years into their lives — but it’d felt much longer than he’d wanted it to. His talons fidgeted as he got closer to the end of the line. His eyes caught Shouto’s and he had a feeling both their hearts stopped as they thought the same thing.

 

  _He’s here._

 

 When he ( _finally_ ) got to the front, he nervously took Shouto’s talon into his, shaking it. “Izuku Midoriya,” he murmured. He leaned close to his ear, and Izuku was sure he was dead. “Please, once everyone is here, meet me behind the hibiscus bushes.” His tail twitched in the direction of a flowering bush, almost as tall as Izuku himself. He nodded and continued into the courtyard, looking for his seat.

 

 Each cushion had a card folded neatly with fancy writing of names on them. Most pillows were reds and oranges, colors of fire and the like, with the cards pastel representations of the color below them, and their ink a dark red, like blood. _Gemstone Frivel_ , _Arya Lupine, Robin Whint…_

 

_Izuku Midoriya._ His card was a pastel purple with dark, glittery indigo ink, and sat upon a velvet black pillow. He unfolded the card and saw, in blue ink the same as Shouto’s previous personal note:

 

  _Welcome. If you’re reading this, that means you came. Thank you. I need you here, Izu._

 

_-Your Shouto._

 

 Emotion stirred in his chest, welling and choking him. He risked any nosy dragon opening the card and reading their secret, just to give him this note. Part of him _should_ have been angry, that he’d take this risk at all, but he loved him far too much for that.

 

 “I never would have expected a NightWing here,” a soft voice said from behind him.

 

 He turned around as fast as he could, closing the card in his palm with a nervous smile. He was met with a pretty IceWing, whose eyes looked weary but shimmered with excitement, and was adorned with very few pieces of jewelry. Her ears had clips of rubies and her wrists had bands of moonstones, but that was all. She looked anxious.

 

 “Oh! I’m Todoroki’s friend from Jade Academy. He invited me here and I flew over as fast as I could…” He shifted awkwardly, a question repeating in his mind over and over again, until he blurted it. “Are you his mother?” His jaws snapped shut and he apologized endlessly. She laughed.

 

 “You’re fine, little dragonet. Yes, I am. He invited me here himself. I’m excited for him,” she hummed. “He’s made friends, and it seems he’s found love too. Hopefully it’ll go smoother than his father and I…” Izuku looked down at his talons, guiltily avoiding her eyes.

 

 “A-Actually,” he stammered. “He’s not marrying someone he loves. He met her a few days ago.” He glanced up and winced at her heartbroken expression.

 

 “Oh no…” she murmured. “This… this won’t be any good.” She shook her head mournfully, breath stuttering. He put his wing to hers.

 

 “But you’re right!” he said in a hurry. “He _did_ find love, I promise you that!” His words seemed to have comforted her to some degree.

 

 “But… it’s not who he’s marrying.”

 

 “Sadly, no, it’s not,” he sighed. “I _really_ wish it was. Shouto doesn’t deserve this.” She blinked at him, like she understood the relationship her son had with her companion. She wrapped him in a hug, her cold scales somehow warm at the same time.

 

 “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

 

 “I’m sorry too.” Izuku’s steady voice wavered as a sob broke through.

 

 “Mother?” The hug unfolded and the two saw Shouto before them, dressed in gold and red and yellows, only a hint of blue with one clip of sapphire hanging from his right ear. He was gorgeous.

 

 “Hello, Shouto,” she smiled, turning to him for his own hug. Izuku couldn't hear the loving whispers they exchanged, but by their teary laughs, Izuku could guess what they were: apologies, and catching ups, and I love you’s. He stepped back and glanced to Izuku.

 

 “I just… I need to talk to Midoriya.” She pressed her nose to his forehead.

 

 “Please do,” she said, hushed. He nodded and beckoned Izuku, the dip of his head he gave towards the flowering bush electrifying him from head to talons. He slowly, trembling, followed his Prince into the safety of the foliage, ducking under to not risk his horns being seen. A semicircle of scarlet red hibiscus and their green leaves covered them partly, along with the stony wall of a castle tower behind them.

 

 “I found this a few days ago, when we were preparing everything for today,” Shouto explained. He looked into Izuku’s shining emerald eyes with a sigh. “I missed you so, so much.”

 

 Izuku smiled, sniffling. “I did too. I missed you _too_ much.” They placed their heads on each other’s shoulders, seeping into the contact.

 

 “I like your mother,” Izuku giggled. Shouto chuckled.

 

 “She likes you too. Maybe she knows of us.”

 

 “She does — I told her.” Shouto feigned a quiet gasp of betrayal, jumping back with a shocked expression, a smile curling his mouth.

 

 “I thought this was _our_ secret!” he hissed, shoving his snout in Izuku’s face. Izuku smiled until it hurt.

 

 “I’m sorry, love.” He cupped Shouto’s face, looking into his pretty eyes; gray marble and deep ice. He cooed and leaned in, his mouth opening just a little to fit with Shouto’s. His heart soared with the touch. Cold and warm skimmed across his neck, to his jaw, his cheek, then back down. Dark contrasted red and white as it ran across the bicolored scales, shaking with excitement; part of him was trembling because his Shouto was _back,_ he was _here,_ with _him_ , and he was still _just_ as wonderful as he was a week ago, the other part due to constantly remembering that they could be caught at any moment. That part terrified him a little, but by the _stars_ , his Shouto was worth it. A soft, sad moan escaped him at the thought of his Shouto not being his at all.

 

 Shouto stepped back, smiling almost uncannily, before resting his head on Izuku’s chest. “I love you so much.” Izuku nodded.

 

 “I love you too,” he said, tipping his head to kiss the other laying against him.

 

 “I have a plan to fix this.” A spiked tail wrapped around Izuku’s. “I promise, I’ll try to come back to Jade Academy with you.”

 

 The NightWing nearly cried out in relief, but stifled it. “Thank you,” he whimpered, “but try not to get hurt, whatever your plans may be.” He felt Shouto’s breath brush his underscales with a sigh.

 

 “I have no choice.” He stepped back, looking into the round, worried eyes of his beloved, before bidding him farewell (“for the moment, I hope.”), leaving him among the hibiscus blooms alone.

 

———

 

  _Words, words, more words…_ Shouto sighed internally as he listened to the red dragon between Spessartine and he drone on about _love for one another_ and becoming _the dragons of the next generation_ and _becoming formidable members of society and the royal family_ . He couldn’t roll his eyes out of respect, and his father would be able to sense it a mile away; standing right behind him, Enji would easily detect it, as would his bride’s parents behind her. But it was a challenge _not_ to. The ceremony had started in the afternoon; now the sun was setting and the paper lanterns hung above the arch overhead really started glowing. Shouto smiled to himself, reminded of the Moon Festival. Spessartine gave him a subtly confused look, something along the lines of “are you _actually_ enjoying this?” He shoved the memories away and retained his expressionless default.

 

 “Shouto Todoroki, son of King Enji Todoroki of the SkyWings and Rei Todoroki of the IceWings, fourth of his kind, youngest heir to the throne, dragon of fire and ice,” the dragon took a deep breath, “and Spessartine Mae, daughter of Jasper Mae and Topaz Mae of the SkyWings, first of her kind, eldest of the Mae Dragonets, dragon of science and fire.”

 

  _A mouthful,_ Shouto thought, laughing in his mind. Spessartine almost looked as though she thought the same. The dragon between them continued.

 

 “We bind these two together for as long as their love allows,” he said with a smile. _There_ was _no love in the first place,_ Shouto thought sadly. He wished he could fly into space only with Izuku and his mother, and leave the kingdoms and Pyrrhia altogether. He looked down blankly as the crimson dragon grabbed a silky ribbon of gold, tying Shouto’s and Spessartine’s right wrists together as he went on.

 

 “Shouto Todoroki, do you bless Spessartine Mae to take your name, to follow you through all endeavors the kingdom may face, and to have your heirs, and no one else’s? Do you promise to protect her, to treat her as she should, and to give her all she asks?” The crowd murmured. It was the first time anyone had heard the new vows for royal SkyWing marriages, aside from the King, who had helped write them when he began his reign. Shouto forced down a snarl. _I_ bless _Spessartine? I’m no better than her!_ He swallowed down his anger.

 

 “I do.” From the corner of his eyes, he could see the crowd of dragons around the reserved seats looking uncomfortably at Izuku and his mother, who were silently crying while Flare Penn and Kindle Hursy comforted them. Natsuo and Fuyumi frowned sadly. _No one wants this._

 

 The red dragon nodded, then turned to Spessartine. “Spessartine Mae, do you accept Shouto Todoroki’s name, promise to stand with him, whether he’s right or wrong, and to raise his heirs to become stronger kings? Do you vow to defend him, to serve him in health and illness, and to give him all he asks?” _Three moons, that’s even worse._ She looked like she’d eaten rotten caribou, her scrunched up about pushing her glasses up, but she managed to suppressed whatever protest she had.

 

 “I do,” she said quietly. Flashes of blue and white appeared in Shouto’s peripherals. _Citrine,_ he was reminded sadly. _She should be up here, not me._ He grunted when the ribbon tightened around them. A little dragonet of orange was trotting down the aisle with a small, polished redwood chest, which the red dragon opened, revealing two golden bands. _This is it._

 

 “I declare you two…” He pulled apart the golden tie and clamped on their respective bands. “wedded!”

 

 A polite and conserved applaud, though Shouto’s family, Izuku, and Citrine had not the heart to clap for the event. Spessartine wore a forced smile, but Shouto saw no point to pretend; he held his resting face of no emotion.

 

 The celebration moved to inside the castle, into a hall much like the Counsel Hall, but purposed for feasts. Two seats were reserved for the most important dragons — most times the King and his guest — and their table was their own for the supper, alone in a booth that oversaw the entire hall, which was filled with large tables and an especially long one for the food in the far end of the room. In the other end was a platform for toasts and announcements, mostly used by Enji to talk of how “grateful” he is for their guests. The ceiling could be opened like window shutters, only needing the inside latch to be unlocked for opening, revealing the sky and mountains. Enji’s idea was for his challengers to fight him when the skylight was closed, to battle atop the hall, meaning the wooden doors would often have to be repaired. The feast was at least much more to Shouto’s tastes, with cooked animals that _weren’t_ the size of his palm. Hawk, elk, mountain lions, rabbits, all sorts of food at his disposal. Though Shouto didn’t feel too hungry when he had to watch Izuku sadly pick at his food with his mother, who was forcing down what she could to look considerate in front of her children. His father wasn’t eating at all, he was keeping his eyes trained on his guests from the hall doors, watching as though he suspected them to be thieves.

 

 Spessartine sat next to him, eating much more than him, gulping down entire eagles and going back to their personal food table for more. It was odd, since he’d realized he’d never once seen her eat, or at least not that much. When she got her fifth plate, stacked with enough food to feed an entire winglet, he decided to speak up.

 

 “Hey,” he said gently. “What’s… all this?” He gestured to the plate of food.

 

 “I’m stress eating,” she growled, stuffing a cow in her mouth.

 

 “You haven’t been stressed up until now?” She scowled before gulping down what she had chewed.

 

 “I haven’t been _this_ stressed,” she said, reaching for a rabbit. But Shouto grabbed her wrist before she could touch a hair. She was tearing up.

 

 “I hate this,” she snarled. “I don’t like being disrespectful, but I hate your father, and I hate that he’s put us together.”

 

 Shouto nodded. “I hate it too,” he confessed. “I don’t know you very well… but I remember seeing you around the castle with your parents. I don’t think you like them too much.”

 

 She gave an empty laugh. “You’re right, I don’t. They don’t like me either. I’m just a mistake that forced them to get married, then I disappointed them by being a scientist, not some strong captain of the royal guard, spear in claws, defending his kingdom with valor. So they’re hoping a princess will be better.” Shouto offered her a wing for comfort. She only brushed it with the edges of hers.

 

 “You’re not the only mistake here,” he murmured. “If It were up to my mother, she’d have had dragonets with an IceWing who loved her. But she got sold out by her parents. At least she still loves us, even if we never get to see her and are constant reminders of what she was put through.” Spessartine chuckled sadly, warmer this time, not so cold.

 

 “I guess we’re both mistakes,” she hummed with a sigh. “And this marriage is definitely a mistake.”

 

 “Definitely,” Shouto agreed.

 

 “But maybe we can make it work. We can start off as friends.” She had a hopeful gleam in her eye, though they both knew the answer. True, they could become friends one day. But to force themselves into love…

 

 Shouto sighed. “Perhaps,” he mumbled. “But I might know how to fix it.” She turned to him with wide eyes.

 

 “ _How?_ ” He smiled, but just barely.

 

 “Watch and find out.” He stepped out from the booth, snuck away to the announcement platform with very few dragons noticing, except for his family, Izuku, Spessartine, and _maybe_ Citrine who had been watching her lover closely, who had to stand by Shouto practically the whole day. No one else paid much attention until he was standing tall and upright, raising his arms to gather their attention. The room fell silent.

 

 “Thank you all for coming,” he said, his voice echoing off the walls. “I thank you all for your well wishes and the like.” His eyes landed on Spessartine, then shot to where Izuku and his family sat. An anger was sparked in him. “I’m very comforted by the fact that you all are enjoying this _sham_ of a wedding.” Murmurs rose and his father’s eyes grew cold, setting their attention on him.

 

 “ _Shouto_ …” he saw his father mouth. But he continued.

 

 “Few of you know of the purpose of this wedding. Truthfully, there are two purposes. Spessartine’s parents wanted to become rich and important from it and my father wanted us to have dragonets to take the throne one day. _Neither_ of us wanted this nor consented to it. She had her significant other, and I had mine, but my father and her parents tore us apart from them and shoved us together without even giving us time to even befriend one another.” The guests were beginning to talk amongst themselves, the ones aware of the situation watching him in shock.

 

 “ _Shouto_ ,” the King finally growled aloud. The guests whirled to look at him. “continue with the celebration. We can talk about this later.” Shouto lifted his chin.

 

 “I, Prince Shouto Todoroki, challenge my father, King Enji Todoroki, for the throne of the SkyWings and the Sky Kingdom,” he shouted. “I challenge you here and now.”

 

 The crowd looked at the two royalties, chattering anxiously, while they stared narrowly at each other, as though that was the challenge itself. Suddenly, a green-black head lifted from the sea of red and orange scales, scurrying towards Shouto, until he was at the foot of the stage. He looked up at him with fearful eyes, green shimmering with a horrified realization. Shouto crouched down, taking his dark talons into his bicolored ones.

 

 “Shou,” Izuku whispered, “this _can’t_ be your plan. You… you could _die_. I’d rather you be married off than die trying to become king.” He had tears welling up and spilling over his cheeks, which Shouto brushed away gently with a claw.

 

 “It’s not to become king,” he corrected softly.  “It’s to be back with you. I’ll be fine.” He stood again, returning his father’s steely gaze. The tension started to grow, faster and faster, until it seemed to be choking the room’s inhabitants. Finally, Enji grunted.

 

 “Open the skylight,” he ordered. Two servants began to open the large hatch overhead, one unlocking its hatch, then both easing the two wooden doors to the walls of the hall. Dragons began to pour into the darkening sky, including Shouto’s family and friends, but slower. When they’d all taken spots to watch the challenge, the contenders arose above the hall, and the doors below closed, leaving them to battle for the crown. The wind was staggering outside, and the sky was turning indigo with a bloody rose-red color on the horizon where the sun had set.

 

 Shouto caught glimpses of dragons he knew, watching. Kindle was whispering quickly, stuttering more than they usually did, but Flare was endlessly patient and responded after each thing they said; Spessartine and Citrine not far from them, huddled together and wings around each other like the couple they deserved to be; his siblings were at the edge of the crowd, staring at him intently, with smiles hiding their fear for their brother; his mother and Izuku stood just behind them, clinging to each other — they looked like they’d seen ghosts. _I hope this works._

 

 Two sets of talons landed on the wood below, circling each other as father and son snarled and growled. Eyes glowed in the growing darkness, still, but fiery. They paused, the crowd leaned in, holding their breaths, dying for something to happen.

 

 Enji lunged with an enraged roar, fire glowing in his throat. Shouto gripped the planks underfoot with his curved claws, then breathed a blast of ice into the king’s mouth, freezing the fire. He yelled in pain, swerving in air to change his landing. His wings beat powerfully to rear him back, nearly blowing Shouto off his talons. He watched every movement carefully, a satisfying feeling twinging inside as his father coughed and just about vomited fire to melt the frost in his mouth. Shouto leapt into action, claws outstretched and teeth bared as he bowled over Enji, despite the fact his father was twice his size. He shot another freeze to his arms, across his face, everywhere his range could manage. Once he deemed him well restricted, he scored his claws against his scales, roared more ice, never using his fire in fear of melting his ice. Dragons in the background cheered and jeered, and Izuku’s voice was the loudest. He felt warm from snout to tail with each of his encouraging shouts, even as the ice inside seemed to numb and slow him.

 

 “Shouto!” Izuku’s voice called. “Watch out!”

 

 He was about to turn to ask, but two strong legs threw him across the arena, knocking the breath out of him. The sound of ice shattering, and he could barely see a large mass of fire-colored scales bounding towards him, a red glow in him. Shouto weakly rolled away before he was shot with the worst of it. He winced when he felt small flames licking at his scales, partly burning his left. He wanted to just _thinly_ cover the burn with ice, but his insides felt too cold, too dry, and the floor next to him was burning away. He wheezed and stumbled to his feet, only to be butted in the ribs, sending him sprawling. His family cried out a chorus of “no!” and “get up!”. He _wanted_ to get up, but his side ached _so much._ He gasped when he felt claws tearing at him, his left shoulder searing with pain. He flailed helplessly, barely able to use his ice anymore. Teeth sank into his leg, then shook it wildly, as though his father was trying to tear it off. Shouto used his free leg to kick at Enji, groaning in pain when he slashed at his ankle.

 

 “Shouto, please!” He could hear Izuku from the stands. “Fire!”

 

 He hadn’t wanted to use his fire; he’d been trying to reject his father that way. But he remembered what Izuku taught him, not too long after they met.

 

 It’s _his_ power.

 

 He felt as though the frost was melting from his veins as he reared his head back, conjuring the most powerful flame he could, and shot it right at his father. Teeth released his hind leg, and Enji screamed in agony as it scorched him. Shouto turned to see where it hit… right on his shoulder. He smiled, but pushed the feeling away. He flapped his wings, lifting himself to his feet again. The king was still beating away the flame that had disgustingly scarred him. He was burned, scratched, and numb in his arms and face. Shouto stood regally, though painfully, in the now silent arena, not including the sound of fire eating away at the wooden hatch and dragons underneath catching the burning debris before it hit the hall below.

 

 “I’m no killer,” Shouto said in a voice that rang out. “I’ll give you this chance to leave. Don’t ever return. I never want you here again.” Enji panted, legs shaking and wings drooping. His wounds bled and oozed grossly and dripped onto the wood. He grunted again, though more feral.

 

 “You’ll lead these dragons without any true skill,” he huffed. “You’ll never be a true king.”

 

 “And you were never one in the first place,” Shouto spat. Enji hissed, but argued no more. He took to the air, clumsy and less majestic as he usually tried to look. Not a word was said until he was out of sight.

 

 “He’s not dead!” cried one of the crowd members. A few dragons murmured in agreement as they added, “How can we have two different rulers alive at the same time?”

 

 “I-It does-sn’t matter!” came Kindle’s voice. “Enji g-gave up his right to b-b-be king when he le-eft!” The arena was quiet, but just for a heartbeat.

 

 “King Shouto!” Izuku was the first to say it.

 

 “King Shouto! King Shouto! King Shouto!” The sky was filled with the mantra over and over. A sense of relief washed over Shouto, a feeling of freedom. But, simultaneously, the title was unfitting. Despite his pains and wounds, he stood high and raised his talons for silence.

 

 “I appreciate the support,” he started. “But I cannot accept the position of king; I’m too inexperienced and unmotivated for the role.” All their expressions conveyed the same worry: _who will rule them?_

 

 “However, before I step down, I wish to decree a thing or two.” His eyes landed on Spessartine. “Spessartine, please come forth.”

 

 Citrine, who had been holding tight to her girlfriend, reluctantly let her go to the king, watching her go with sad eyes. Her golden orange scales were still bright in the night. He took her banded wrist into his claws, looking at her with a serious intent.

 

 “Spessartine Mae,” he spoke, loud and clear. “I know you are just as aware of this marriage’s purpose as I am. And I know you were just as unhappy, if not, more. Tonight, I propose to you that we go our separate ways, to split this marriage, and declare this an inexistent event.”

 

 Her eyes shone with tears and a smile broke through. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes, I’d love that.” She hugged him tightly, wrapping her wings and arms around him. He could see Citrine in the background, trembling and giddy. Shouto unlocked their bands, and she flew back into the crowd, whispering to her lover and sprinkling her face with kisses.

 

 “My second verdict is to return only queens to the throne, no king shall sit on the throne again.” SkyWings murmured and nodded happily. There were no objections, so he carried on.

 

 “And my third and last ruling,” Shouto continued, “is to make Citrine the Queen of SkyWings.”

 

 The dragons were an uproar, and the aforementioned had shot her head up. Shouto dipped his head at her, outstretching his arm to her. Her cloudy yellow shape fluttered over the crowd before landing on the half charred wooden floor. Even after the days of moody disdain, she bowed before him and addressed him as his current titled as she whispered, “Your Majesty, I’m honored, but surely a half-RainWing could never lead the Kingdom.”

 

 He shook his head. “They will never know. Of all the SkyWings I’ve known, you’re the most capable of leading these dragons,” he mumbled. He took a few paces backwards before bowing down, legs shaking and shuddering as blood trickled off and out of his body.

 

 “Queen Citrine.” The red and orange scaled spectators dipped their heads, and followed his lead, murmuring the same title. She stood taller, straighter, more confident than Shouto ever would.

 

 “Thank you, Prince Shouto. You and your family will remain treated as royalty, and your mother is welcomed into the Sky Kingdom at any time.” Uncertainly, she added, “I suppose we’ll figure out what to do in the morning. We’ll all rest until then.” He nodded his thanks before being sent to the infirmary, Izuku and his family tagging along.

 

 He was bandaged, cleaned, given all sorts of things for his wounds. He was brought to his room to rest, which led to Izuku gasping and marveling at his room. The pillows and blankets were soft and cushy, easy to sink into compared to the cold, windy mountaintop he’d fought on only half an hour or so ago. Izuku was making sleep a very appealing option with the relaxing way his claws ran through his spikes and the edges of his scales. His brother and sister were curled with his mother, all three asleep, and only Izuku left to keep him company.

 

 “Shouto,” came his quiet, gentle voice. Shouto grunted, leaning his head towards him. Izuku giggled. “Nothing. Just wanted to say your name.” Shouto chuckled.

 

 “Here,” he rasped, lifting a wing to invite Izuku under. The NightWing — barely visible in the dark, but his eyes were _so bright_ — muttered under his breath a thousand insecurities and a million worries and a billion reasons until Shouto grabbed his talon with his own.

 

 “Please,” his voice cracked. “I missed you.” Izuku’s eyes glowed sadly. He shuffled and snuggled under Shouto’s wing until his own were cramped to his sides and Shouto felt a dull ache when Izuku brushed the dressed claw marks. They sighed together. Their tails weaved together, tight like a coil, rolling and shifting for a comfy position, limbs tangling and wings enfolding each other. They settled on cuddling, wrapped around each other, hugging the other close, with Izuku’s head cozily nuzzled until Shouto’s chin.

 

 “Comfy,” Izuku purred with a smile. Shouto reflected his mood brightly.

 

 “Tired?” Shouto hummed. Izuku nodded, burying his head more so until part of his nose was under Shouto’s neck.

 

 “I wanna be here with you forever.” Shouto grinned.

 

 “I’d rather be back at school with you.”

 

 “I guess… but your mom is also here… and she’s really nice.”

 

 “She is,” Shouto agreed.

 

 Little conversations and kisses and sweet whispers were passed from one to the other as the night grew later. But Shouto’s eyelids felt heavy, and Izuku grew quieter until he fell silent, asleep. He snores softly, mouth hanging open just a bit to breathe warm air onto his boyfriend’s neck. The prince smiled and drifted off into sleep with him.

 

———

 

 The next morning, Izuku woke up before Shouto did, head still snug under his boyfriend’s chin. He smiled and shimmied closer to him until he was sure not even the air was between them. His eyes flickered around the room, taking in the details now that the sun was lighting everything up.

 

 The room was spectacularly fancy, with wonderful gems in the tiles, silky velvet curtains barely an arm’s length away from them, and tiny homemade snowflakes hanging from the ceiling. The roof was high above their heads and curved into a dome, but the little cuts of paper were still easy to see. Most of the colors were fiery colors, such as reds and oranges, but Izuku could tell Shouto had made his own cool-colored editions along with his snowflakes.

 

 Along with that observation came another — noticing Shouto’s family was missing from the room, which meant they absolutely saw them together. Hot embarrassment burned under Izuku’s scales and he squirmed as if it’d shake off his awareness.

 

 “Izuku,” Shouto moaned groggily, “stop moving, please.” The NightWing squeaked and fell still, but his wings trembled when he felt and heard Shouto chuckle, his throat vibrating with the sound. When he winced, Izuku sat up, gingerly prodding around the injured dragon.

 

 “Did you reopen something last night?” he asked anxiously. “You could’ve since I tend to kick a little when I sleep. Or maybe you rolled over and I didn’t notice? I can be a heavy sleeper sometimes, but I don’t imagine that much considering how the evening went. Oh, gosh, where did it open? Are there any bloodstains on the blankets—?”

 

 “Izuku, I’m fine. You’re muttering again.”

 

 He wailed in exasperation. “Sorry, sorry!” Shouto tackled him back into the blankets with a flurry of kisses and uncharacteristic amount of affection. His nose nestled into his cheek, his neck, behind his ears, anywhere he knew would make Izuku purr. Eventually, it was all a little too much, a little too confusing. Izuku pushed himself out from under Shouto and out of the dip that was his sleeping nest. Two bicolored eyes blinked at him.

 

 “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” The prince slowly approached — just about _glided_ — to Izuku, taking his front talons into his.

 

 “More okay than ever,” he whispered, a soft smile lightening his face. Izuku returned it, accompanied with a hug, warm and safe and eternal… even if eternity was interrupted by an opening door.

 

 “P-Prince Shou-outo!” called a stuttering red-orange dragon. They quickly added, “a-and guest M-Midoriya.” The hug loosened as the two turned to them.

 

 “Kindle,” Shouto addressed with a nod of his head. Kindle nodded back.

 

 “Queen Citrine w-wants to see yo-ou two.” They scrambled from the doorway, the click of talons echoing from the hallway, before the sound paused; Kindle was waiting. Shouto held onto one of his lover’s talons and led him along the hallways, following Kindle around the twists and turns that made Izuku dizzy. After a few confusing, headache inducing minutes, the doors to the throne room opened.

 

 It was bright, with morning light shining in and reflecting across the polished walls, and just as brilliant as the rest of the palace’s rooms, though much more vast. On the far end, a great distance from the entryway and landing, was the throne. Though, instead of being the dark, jagged symbol of power his father had made it, the seat was covered by a sheet. Instead, the Queen sat in front of it, on its steps, with a kind looking crown atop her head, copper intertwined with vines. It fit her well. Spessartine, who wore her own crown similar to her new (and real) fiancée’s, sat with the Queen, smiling and laughing, before elbowing her when she caught Izuku’s eyes. The yellow dragon straightened her posture and cleared her throat. The other dragons in the room, new dragons and dragons Izuku has sort of seen and Shouto’s family, grew silent and turned to the visitors.

 

 “Come forth,” she said, beckoning the two with her tail, which was strangely, naturally curled, like a RainWing’s. Nonetheless, the two stepped forward. She was just as kind as she was times less intimidating than Enji — infinitely so.

 

 “Your Majesty,” Shouto and Izuku said in unison, bowing their heads low. Izuku caught a moment where she looked slightly… embarrassed? Flustered? Uncomfortable? He could sympathize; being a queen must suddenly be a jarring change. She ordered them up and they followed her commands.

 

 “Shouto Todoroki, please step forward.” He did as he was told, and listened as she continued.

 

 “What you did for the SkyWings, perhaps for all of Pyrrhia, was a great service we will not forget quickly. The kingdom thanks you for your bravery and just actions. For your duty, I wish to grant you a gift of your choosing. Tell me what you wish for, and if I can give you it, it is yours.”

 

 Dragons murmured and whispered to each other, giving Shouto nervous glances. Part of Izuku itched with a sort of irritation. _Do they not trust him after he sacrificed himself for the tribe?_ The whispered quieted when Shouto started speaking.

 

 “I’m thankful for your offer, Queen Citrine,” he said with a polite nod, “but there is not much that I want.” Izuku’s heart sped when he saw the round-eyed look Shouto turned to give him. “I only want to return to Jade Academy with Izuku, and to stay there until we finish our education.”

 

 His legs shook and the couple looked up to the Queen, anticipating an answer. She had a fond look in her eyes before smiling.

 

 “Very well,” she said. “You will leave for the Academy whenever you please. And, if Midoriya wishes, he will go too.”

 

 Nothing could have stopped the squeal Izuku made, the way he flung himself at Shouto without comprehending himself, how he hugged him tighter than before. Shouto’s laughter mixed with Izuku’s as he spun him around, a cool and warm embrace that was made cooler by the beat of his mismatch wings contributing to the twirl. Izuku smiled so widely he almost thought his cheeks were cut; he was spun so quickly he thought the wind was stinging his eyes, though it was only his tears. The world faded in that perfect moment. A part of him hated how Queen Citrine called for him, but a bigger part of him refused to disobey. He was set down, dizzily stepping up.

 

 “Midoriya, I comprehend what you went through when Shouto left to be married to a dragon you never met; I recognize the emotions you must have felt. Though I don’t know the depth of your bond with Shouto, nor the role you may or may not have played in last night’s events, I greatly respect you as an individual for being there for Shouto, even if the scene was one that hurt to watch. If there’s something obtainable you desire, it’d be my pleasure to bestow you with it.”

 

 The breath was knocked out of Izuku’s lungs as he searched for words. “Y-Your Majesty,” he stammered, “like Shouto, th-there’s nothing I want more than to go back to school with Shouto. B-But if you insist to give me something… please give Shouto’s family my wish; let them decide what they want, please.”

 

 Fuyumi and Natsuo grinned, both in different amounts of glee, and Rei had a joyful glow to her brilliantly icy scales.

 

 “As you wish. I trust them to make reasonable requests,” she laughed. She bid them a good day and they were free to go wherever. Shouto led him through the maze-like halls, past doors and windows all identical to each other, up flights of stairs, until pure sunlight flooded in from a landing, high up a tower of the palace, almost piercing the clouds. The expanse of the world was spread before him, with the mountains reaching upwards for miles, and rivers and streams running in their valleys and crags, and forests tucked neatly at their bases or scattering atop the stoney peaks. Izuku felt the wind calling to him, lifting the glittering underside of his wings and soaring deep into his chest and heart.

 

 “The world is ours,” Shouto whispered, catching Izuku’s eyes.

 

 Izuku took in a breath, puffing out his chest to fill it as much as he could with the cold, thin air. His wings spread and nudged Shouto’s, sharing smiles that were bright and hopeful.

 

 “Any ideas as to where to go?” Shouto asked, turning wholly to his companion. Izuku was giddy and absolutely weightless in the moment. They could go anywhere with the excuse of going back to Jade Mountain. They could venture to the outskirts of Rei’s homeland, to the colorful jungle, to the diverse Towns… but Izuku’s heart pulled him, like the string that tethered him to Shouto’s soul, to the only place he wanted to be at that moment.

 

 “Home,” he answered. “Let's go home.” Shouto strode to the landing’s edge, and Izuku followed.

 

 “Let's go home,” he repeated with a glance to Izuku. Two pairs of eyes shone with hope, affection, adoration. Wings caught wind currents, shadows were cast far below onto the grass and stone ground, a new but familiar journey began for two young dragons with one similar thought.

 

_Home with him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so so much for reading!! Comments and Kudos very much appreciated <3


End file.
